For those that spend a lot of time outside, bee stings can be a threat that they will have to face. In addition to being extremely painful, these stings can also represent dire health risks for some individuals. In order to be sure that you are responding quickly and effectively to a bee sting, there are several guidelines that can be used.

Monitor The Person For Signs Of A Reaction

If a person suffers from a serious bee sting allergy, they can develop a range of symptoms that can be immensely uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening. For example, individuals that suffer from these allergies may find that they are at a risk of suffering anaphylactic shock or other serious reactions to these stings. Often, these reactions will develop fairly quickly after being stung. When this is the case, it is essential to get medical treatment as quickly as possible so that treatment can be administered to neutralize the allergic reaction. 

Minimize The Swelling

The site of the bee sting is likely to experience a sizable amount of swelling due to the venom that is injected into the skin. Minimizing the amount of swelling that occurs can help to reduce the overall pain and discomfort that the patient experiences. In order to minimize the amount of swelling that is experienced, an ice pack should be placed on the wound. Also, you may want to take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to further reduce the swelling response that will occur. Furthermore, you should refrain from scratching the area where the sting is located as this could also contribute to the swelling response. Protecting the area stung with a bandage can help to reduce your ability to scratch the area with the sting so that you can avoid irritating the wound.

Keep The Site Of The Sting Clean

Individuals are usually aware of the need to clean scratches and cuts. However, they may fail to sufficiently clean the area that was stung by a bee. However, these stings will involve punctures to the skin, and this can be extremely vulnerable to developing an infection. When a bee sting becomes infected, the amount of discomfort that you experience can greatly worsen, and you may find that this infection may be able to spread to other areas of the body. Protecting yourself against this problem will require you to thoroughly clean and sanitize the site of the sting. This can be done through the use of rubbing alcohol as it will neutralize bacteria before they can enter the wound.