In reading about bee stings in another thread, I wondered if a sting suction device has been mentioned here. It's called "The Extractor" and instantly takes most of the pain from a sting and prevents most of the swelling. If you are one of those people who enjoy bee stings, skip to the next message now! :)
The Extractor is a suction device that will pull the venom out of the sting, whether bee, yellowjacket, or even mosquitoe. I am allergic to yellowjacket stings - one on my hand made my entire arm swell up all the way to my shoulder. But when I quickly applied suction to other yellowjacket stings I have not had more than a small 2-inch diameter swelling. My wife once got a very painful sting on her hand and said the suction took the pain away instantly and she had no swelling. It also removes itching and swelling from mosquitoe bites. I found it works with ticks and seed ticks as well, darn their microscopic hides.
I keep one of these little suction devices on my tractor, in the car, in the house, in the barn, and in the bee kit. I give them to friends as presents - great for parents of small children.
I've always bought these at WalMart in the camping section for $11-$12, but if you want to pay more you can get one from Amazon.com:
The Extractor The kit includes different sizes of suction cups, a razor to remove hair, and some first aid wipes. It also claims to be good for snake bites, but I haven't tested that!
JKJ