Bee stings don’t usually cause a serious reaction in people who are not allergic to them. Usually, the venom injected by the bee will cause a reaction with symptoms, such as pain, redness, itching, and swelling in the bite location. These symptoms are considered mild or moderate. However, people who are allergic to bee stings experience severe symptoms that range from hives to swelling of the face, lips, and throat. Some may even lose consciousness. Show How a Bee StingsA bee jabs its stinger that contains venom into the skin to sting. The venom contains proteins that a person’s body may react to differently. The body can launch a strong immunological response against it that can produce severe symptoms, some of which are life-threatening. Adults and children both can be allergic to bee stings. However, adults tend to have more severe life-threatening reactions to it. In many cases, the first bee sting may produce a mild reaction, but with each subsequent bee sting, the reactions could become increasingly worse. Bee Sting Reaction TimeLocal reactions to a bee sting develop quickly. The sooner the stinger is removed, the sooner you can stop the flow of toxins into the body. A person with a bee sting will likely experience severe pain for one to two hours after getting stung. After intense pain, the area will start to become itchy. Redness, pain, and swelling can last up to seven days after the incident. This is for someone not allergic to bee stings. If the symptoms seem to get worse after several days, see a doctor. Anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting can start within two hours of the incident and rapidly progress. Hives will develop on the face and body, followed by other symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing and swallowing. Blood pressure can also decrease and the heart rate can weaken, which can lead to loss of consciousness. If you or your child is exhibiting signs of an allergic reaction to a bee sting, call 911 immediately. Because symptoms can continue to get worse with time, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as the bite causes a reaction in the body. Board-Certified Adult and Pediatric Allergists in Northeast IllinoisIf you or your child has had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting, an allergist can help prevent another potentially life-threatening response to it and reduce the severity of the reaction. At Oak Brook Allergists in northeast Illinois, we test for different insect bites to determine what you are allergic to. We recommend that you avoid places where you could get stung by bees and create an action plan in case you do get stung. Our patients are provided an emergency adrenaline kit and offered venom immunotherapy to reduce the severity of an allergic reaction to a bee sting. To make an appointment with one of our board-certified allergists, call (630) 574-0460 or use our online form now. We have locations in Downers Grove, Naperville, Elmhurst, and Plainfield. We look forward to serving you soon! Erickson TB, Márquez A. Arthropod envenomation and parasitism. In: Auerbach PS, Cushing TA, Harris NS, eds. Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 41. Otten EJ. Venomous animal injuries. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 55. Varney SM, Ahmed S. Bites and stings. In: Bakes KM, Buchanan JA, Moreira ME, Byyny R, Pons PT, eds. Emergency Medicine Secrets. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 73. Last reviewed on: 7/20/2021 Reviewed by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets: most people can't tell them apart. But they all sting - and there's no mistaking that sting! The pain is immediate and intense. The area becomes red, itchy, and swollen. Lots of people call Poison Control after being stung. They worry that they're having an allergic reaction because the pain, itching, and swelling are so alarming. How can you tell the difference between a miserable sting and an actual allergic reaction? Anaphylaxis is the name for severe allergic reactions that can cause a person to collapse and die. An anaphylactic reaction to a sting (or just about anything else) causes trouble breathing. This happens quickly, within minutes to an hour. The victim could have chest tightness and a feeling of tightness in the throat. The person could feel faint. Hives (red, itchy bumps on the skin) pop up away from the bite. This is a true medical emergency. Call 911 right away! If the person has a kit to treat allergic reactions, start using it immediately. (Follow directions to use the "Epi-Pen", a shot of epinephrine. Usually, you would open the package and push the auto-injector against the person's thigh.) Put the person on the floor, on his or her left side. Put any pets behind closed doors. Unlock the door so emergency personnel can get in. If you see a stinger in the wound, remove it as described below. A person who has multiple stings might also need emergency care. In this case, it's not an allergic reaction. But, the quantity of venom injected all at once could cause nausea, dizziness, faintness, and even seizures. All symptoms of an "ordinary" sting are at the sting site itself. Expected effects are pain, swelling, redness, and itching. All effects are at that specific spot. Even if the area is still red, swollen, itchy, and painful the next day – it's an expected reaction, not an allergic reaction. Treatment is in two parts:
In all cases, try to avoid scratching. (That's easy to say…) Scratching the bite site could cause an infection. Covering the sting site might help. Has the victim had a tetanus booster in the last five years? If not, or you don't know, call the doctor to see if a booster would be a good idea. If your local reaction is very large - several inches across - give your doctor a call. Some people with this type of reaction go on to develop severe allergies or anaphylaxis. You can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool at any time for expert guidance if you are stung. How do you know if I am allergic to bees?Symptoms of a Bee Allergy or Other Stinging Insect Allergy. Itching, hives, or swelling over large portions of your body, not just the site of the sting.. Swelling of the face, throat, or tongue.. Difficulty breathing.. Dizziness.. Stomach cramps.. Nausea or diarrhea.. Loss of consciousness.. If you were stung by a swarm of bees.. How long does it take to have an allergic reaction to a bee sting?Sometimes you may not experience a reaction until 4 hours or longer after the sting occurs. At that point you may begin to experience hives, fever, joint pain, swelling, and headache. Allergic reaction. An allergic reaction can occur in just minutes up to several hours after the sting.
How can I stop being allergic to bees?If you've had a serious reaction to a bee sting or multiple stings, your doctor likely will refer you to an allergist for allergy testing and consideration of allergy shots (immunotherapy). These shots, generally given regularly for a few years, can reduce or eliminate your allergic response to bee venom.
How rare is being allergic to bees?About 2 million people in the United States are allergic to bee stings. Three percent of children who are stung will experience allergic reactions.
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What happens if you are allergic to bees
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