Article: Alleviate pain with OTC pain medicine from your local pharmacy or drug store, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Ask your doctor or pharmacist which is the best medicine for you if you have any medical issues, especially if you have liver or kidney problems. Take the medicine as indicated on the bottle or by your doctor. Apply hydrocortisone cream or other corticosteroid cream to the red, swollen area. This can decrease the pain and inflammation in the area. Use it as directed on the label. Reapply it after four hours if you need to. Calamine lotion can help bee stings as much as it helps poison ivy rashes. Dab some onto your sting with a cotton ball. Use it as indicated on the label. Calamine lotion with analgesic (e.g. Caladryl), may be especially effective. Reapply it after four hours if you need to. Take oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorphenamine (Chlor-Trimeton). Use it as directed on the label or by your doctor or pharmacist. This can help relieve itching. Antihistamine pills might make you very drowsy. Be sure you know how they affect you before taking them when driving or going to work.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take over-the-counter pain medicine. Apply hydrocortisone cream. Dab on calamine lotion. Take antihistamine pills if your sting is itchy.