In the United Sates, there are a number of insects capable of stinging a person. Some of the most common of these include bees, yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, spiders and even certain species of ants.

The reaction that one sustains from a sting varies from person to person. For some people, stings from yellow jackets and honey bees can cause a more serious reaction than that of a wasp or hornet. During the stinging process, the insect injects venom into the victim through the stinger.

Bees usually leave their stingers behind once the sting has taken place, whereas wasps generally don’t. In most cases, an insect will sting its victim in an attempt to protect itself from some sort of danger. This is the reason why accidentally stumbling on a bee hive can lead to numerous stings from different bees.

In most cases, symptoms such as swelling in the affected area, redness and acute pain will occur when a sting takes place. All of these symptoms are reactions to the venom injected from the insect.

In some cases however, one may have a highly allergic reaction to a sting and some very severe complications can occur. Hoarseness, labored breathing, difficulty swallowing, sever swelling, confusion and weakness are all common symptoms of an allergic reaction to a sting.

In cases where the person stung is highly allergic to the sting, they can experience anaphylactic shock, which can lead to unconsciousness and even death, in extreme cases. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, nausea, hives, swollen eyes, lips or tongue, wheezing, stomach cramps bluish skin and coughing can also occur with anaphylactic shock.

The regimen outlined below can help treat & prevent bee stings safely and naturally:

When entering an area prone for nesting bees, always wear long sleeves and long pants.

Because of the attraction that bees have to scents in their environment, use of perfumes, lotions or scented soaps should be avoided when bees are near.

Bees are attracted to sweat as well, so watching for bees during strenuous activity is important as well.

Do not panic when bees are around. Simply brush them away with a paper if they land on skin or wait motionless until they fly away.

If you are stung, carefully remove the stinger as soon as possible to prevent venom from entering the body. It's better to gently scrape the stinger out rather than pulling it out.

Once the stinger is removed, wash and treat the wound.

Supplementing with the following may also be helpful:

Calcium (1,500 mg daily) - Aids pain relief.

Vitamin B5 (500 mg daily) - Inhibits allergic response.

Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids (10,000 mg within the first hour of the sting. Then, 5,000 - 25,000 mg daily in divided doses) - Shields the body from allergens and moderates inflammatory response.

Vitamin E (Spilt capsule and apply topically to the site of the sting) - Promotes healing.

Echinacea and Goldenseal (in tea or capsule form) - Boosts the immune system.

Juniper Tea - Cleanses venom internally.

* Important notes: The recommended doses are for those over age 18 unless otherwise stated. Always check herb and vitamin use with your child’s health care practitioner prior to administering them.