MamasHealth.com Home Insect Information Aphids Bee stings Flea bites Prevent insect bites Scale bugs Ticks and Mosquitoes Links Email Mama Save money: grow a vegetable garden Summer safety for children	Bee Stings Most reactions to bees are mild, but severe allergic reactions lead to between 40 and 50 deaths each year. An allergic reaction to a bee sting can occur even if a person has been stung before with no complications. Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction Symptoms of an allergic reaction to a bee sting include: swelling in the face or an area other than where the sting occurred hives itching rash difficulty breathing shock Allergic reaction to bee stings usually happen within the first few hours. If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a sting, experts recommend carrying epinephrine, a prescription hormone given by injection to support blood pressure, increase heart rate, and relax airways. How to Protect Yourself from getting Stung by a Bee To keep bees away, wear light-colored clothing and avoid scented soaps and perfumes. Don't leave food, drinks, and garbage out uncovered. How to Treat a Bee Sting Treat a bee sting by scraping the stinger away in a side-to-side motion with a credit card or fingernail, and then washing the area with soap and water. Pulling the stinger or using tweezers may push more venom into the skin. For any bug bite or sting, ice or a cold compress and over the counter pain-relieving creams or oral medications can help. Complications of a Bee Sting One of the complications of a bee sting is a tetanus infection. After getting the regular series of childhood tetanus shots, adults should have a tetanus booster shot every 10 years.	Sponsor a contest on MamasHealth.com Sign up for our Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust
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