Answer: If you've been stung by a bee and didn't have a reaction, there is still a chance of reacting in the future. You can get stung many times in your life and not react and one day become allergic to it. If you've actually had an allergic reaction to a sting there's a very high chance of reacting again.
Accidental stings from a variety of bees can cause life‐threatening upper‐airway edema, such as angioedema and bronchospasm. Multiple stings can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, generalized edema, dyspnea, rhabdomyolysis, intravascular hemolysis, and renal injury.
It is important to seek medical care if an allergic reaction is suspected. Symptoms can begin immediately following the sting or up to 30 minutes later and might last for hours. It is possible to have a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting that is not life-threatening.
Allergic reactions to stings usually don't happen when a child is stung for the first time. Most happen when the child is stung for a second time, or even later. If you think that your child might have had an allergic reaction to an insect sting, call your doctor.
Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can vary, but may include hives, a swollen throat or tongue, flushed skin, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and more. For most people, a bee sting only produces temporary pain and irritation at the site of the sting.
Bee sting allergy symptoms vary considerably, based on the intensity and duration of an individual's response: Mild reactions: Mild reactions include immediate sharp pain, some swelling, and a red welt where the stinger penetrated the skin. These symptoms rarely last more than a few hours.
The majority of the time, the symptoms of bee sting serum sickness will improve on their own within 48 hours. As the chemical from the bee toxin is filtered out of your body, the sickness will begin to go away.
If the sting is on an arm or leg, elevate it. Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to ease redness, itching or swelling. If itching or swelling is bothersome, take an oral antihistamine that contains diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine. Avoid scratching the sting area.
Like we shared before, the time frame for bee sting allergic reactions is different for each person. Sometimes, anaphylaxis is delayed, occuring up to 12 hours after contact with an allergen. Stay aware of your symptoms and don't dismiss any concerns.
The Percentage of Americans with a Bee Sting Allergy
Between 5 and 7.5% of Americans are hypersensitive to insect stings. This percentage of the population is at risk for an anaphylactic shock if they are stung by a bee or wasp.
You may have an allergy to bee venom, which can cause a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention and can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you were stung by a bee and experience symptoms like difficulty breathing or dizziness, call 911 or go to the emergency room (ER).
If you've been stung by a bee or multiple bees, seek out bee sting emergency treatment if you notice symptoms such as hives, itching, trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling of the area, throat, or tongue, faintness, or nausea.
In this instance, your immune system reacts to the foreign toxin introduced into your body by the bee sting. Typically, bee sting serum sickness occurs a few days or a week after the insect sting.
Reactions to bee stings
Some beekeepers develop immunity to stings while others become more sensitive. Yet others have an out of the blue severe reaction after not showing any signs of developing sensitivity and may never react the same way again after subsequent stings.
If you have had a severe bee sting reaction in the past, you are at a greater risk of another reaction of similar or increased severity. If you fall into one of the first two categories listed above, data suggests your risk is between 20 – 40% for a reaction of similar or increased severity with your next sting.
Treating a Systemic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)
Doctors often prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector device (Adrenaclick® Auvi-Q® and EpiPen®) for people with an allergy to bee stings (Picture 3). The auto-injector contains a pre-measured dose of medicine that can stop the systemic reaction.
Yes, some children develop allergies and later outgrow them. Doctors don't always know the exact reasons for the disappearance. However, the understanding is that overtime people can become desensitized through contact with the allergen.
Anaphylaxis symptoms usually occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen. Sometimes, however, anaphylaxis can occur a half-hour or longer after exposure.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy (also known as desensitization) can be a helpful long-term treatment. It involves regularly injecting small doses of the insect venom under the skin. A bit like with vaccines, the immune system gradually gets used to the allergen.
Medical Treatment for Bee and Wasp Stings
If you have a single sting with no allergic symptoms, you may require only local wound care such as cleaning and applying antibiotic ointment. Any stingers that remain will be removed. And you may be given an oral antihistamine to treat itching.
The swelling and pain usually improve within a few hours. Approximately 10 percent of people develop severe redness and swelling after a sting. This is called a large local reaction. The area may become large (4 inches [10 cm] or more) over 1 to 2 days and then slowly resolve over 5 to 10 days.
Multiple bee stings
Some types of bees — such as Africanized honeybees — are more likely than are other bees to swarm, stinging in a group. If you get stung more than a dozen times, the accumulation of venom may induce a toxic reaction and make you feel quite sick.
Systemic Reactions and Bee Sting Swelling Days Later
For example, you could develop hives and stomach pain. More seriously, you could experience difficulty breathing or cardiac arrest.
Baking soda, when mixed with water, is said to help neutralize bee venom, reducing pain, itching, and swelling. Mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste, then apply a generous amount onto the affected area. Cover the area with a bandage, then leave it on for at least 15 minutes. Reapply, as needed.