Research suggests that over time, people may become more sensitive to the venom. This increased sensitivity can in turn cause an allergic reaction, even if a person has never had one before. If this happens, more serious symptoms will occur, and a person should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
You probably won't have a severe allergic reaction the first time you are stung. But even if your first reaction to a sting is mild, allergic reactions can get worse with each sting. Your next reaction may be more severe or even deadly.
Some people may have a stronger allergic reaction to an insect's venom, leading to bee sting side effects, such as a very large, swollen welt. The welt may grow in size over a 48-hour period. This reaction remains local to the sting site and doesn't spread to other areas of the body.
Seek prompt medical care if you've been swarmed by bees and have multiple stings. Make an appointment to see your doctor if: Bee sting symptoms don't go away within a few days. You've had other symptoms of an allergic response to a bee sting.
Large Local Reactions and Bee Sting Swelling Days Later
A local reaction can produce very uncomfortable pain, itching, and swelling. Some of this swelling can be delayed, increasing over 24 to 48 hours. It may take 3 to 10 days for these symptoms to resolve.
A large local reaction can be defined as swelling at the site of the sting exceeding 10 centimeters. These symptoms may continue developing for up to a few hours after the incident. If the sting happened on your arms or legs, the symptoms could last for days or weeks while still being considered a local reaction.
It will start to look and feel worse. “You can get redness and swelling,” Dr. Wright explains. “It can also feel warm or tender to touch, and if your infection is advancing, you could even get pus in the area.” Other symptoms include redness that spreads on the skin, a fever and chills, or increased pain.
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.
These stings will look like a bad mosquito bite, with swelling at the bite site. The area will be red, the center may be white and there may be a small brown stinger still in your skin. A welt may also form.
The faster they get medical help, the better the chance for recovery. The chances of future total body reactions increase when local reactions become more and more severe. People who are not allergic to bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets usually get better within 1 week.
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. This will worsen itching and swelling and increase your risk of infection.
Normal reactions typically include intense pain, itching, and redness with swelling at the sting site up to the size of quarter. Large local reactions extend out from the site of the sting and involve redness with swelling that can at times involve the entire arm or leg.
Bee venom contains proteins that affect the skin cells and immune system, resulting in pain and swelling at the site of the sting, even if a person is not allergic to the venom. In those who are allergic to bee stings, the venom triggers a more severe immune system reaction.
Pain and other symptoms of a bee sting can worsen if you don't get the stinger out quickly. The longer the stinger stays in your skin, the more venom it releases, adding to your pain and swelling. This can also increase the chances of an allergic reaction.
Epinephrine is a medication that can help to reduce bee sting allergy symptoms. You may also need to be treated with antihistamines and cortisone through an IV. Your doctor will likely prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector to carry with you at all times.
It is possible to have a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting that is not life-threatening. Symptoms can include hives, feeling nauseous or lightheaded, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure and swelling in areas other than the general sting site.
You'll likely see a red bump. If a stinger was left behind, you'll also see a small black filament sticking out of the center. It may have a bulbous end, which is the venom sac. If the skin around the stinger is loose, pull it tight to get a better look.
A normal reaction results in pain, swelling, and redness around the sting site. A large local reaction results in redness and swelling that extends beyond the sting site. The swelling may extend about 4 inches from the sting site over a period of a couple of days. It should get better within 5 to 10 days.
Getting a bee sting is no fun. For such a small insect, the pain of a sting can linger for days. Fortunately, although it can hurt, most people only suffer a mild reaction to the sting and heal completely within a few days. “Bees will sting when aggravated or their nest is bothered.
Antibiotics are not required for most insect bites and stings. In practice, it can be challenging to differentiate between inflammation and infection as both may present with erythema and swelling. Signs of inflammatory or allergic reaction (common) include: rapid onset.
The body typically starts to break down histamine within a few hours, which is why the itchiness from a bee sting usually goes away within a day or two. However, in some cases, the body does not break down histamine as quickly. This can cause the itchiness to last for days or even weeks.
Management of bee or wasp stings
Those with infected bites or stings will need oral antibiotics, usually in addition to oral antihistamines.
Applying ice to the site may provide some mild relief. Apply ice for 20 minutes once every hour as needed. Wrap the ice in a towel or keep a cloth between the ice and skin to keep from freezing the skin.