Is it normal for bee sting to swell

The majority of people without sting allergies will show only minor symptoms during and after a wasp sting. The initial sensations can include sharp pain or burning at the sting site. Redness, swelling, and itching can occur as well. A tiny white mark may be visible in the middle of the welt where the stinger punctured your skin. Usually, the pain and swelling recedes within several hours of being stung. Large local reactions to wasp stings include extreme redness and swelling that increases for two or three days after the sting.

Nausea and vomiting can also occur. Let your doctor know if you have a large local reaction after a wasp sting. They may direct you to take an over-the-counter OTC antihistamine medication such as Benadryl to reduce your discomfort.

You could have one strong reaction and never show the same symptoms again. However, a large local reaction could be the way your body routinely responds to wasp stings. The most severe allergic reactions to wasp stings are referred to as anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis occurs when your body goes into shock in response to wasp venom. Most people who go into shock after a wasp sting do so very quickly. Epinephrine has several effects that help stabilize the blood pressure, increase the heart rate and strength, and help respiration return to normal. Anaphylactic shock is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Learn more about this dangerous condition, including what to do if someone you know is experiencing it. You can treat mild and moderate reactions to wasp stings at home. While treating your sting at home, you should:. Use hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion if itching or skin irritation becomes bothersome. Baking soda and colloidal oatmeal are soothing to the skin and can be used during a bath or through medicated skin creams.

OTC pain relievers, such as ibuprofen , can manage pain associated with wasp stings. Antihistamine drugs, including diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine , can reduce itching as well. Take all medications as directed to avoid potential side effects, such as stomach irritation or drowsiness. Vinegar is another possible home remedy that may be used for wasp stings.

The theory is that the acidity of vinegar can help neutralize the alkalinity of wasp stings. The opposite is true of bee stings, which are more acidic. To use vinegar on wasp stings, soak a cotton ball with apple cider or white vinegar and place it on top of the affected area of skin. Use slight pressure to help with the pain and inflammation. You can leave the cotton ball on top of your skin for several minutes. Patients and parents should note—a more severe local reaction greater pain or more extreme swelling is not an indicator of increased risk for a generalized reaction, nor is receiving multiple stings.

Up to 1 million people go to the Emergency Department for bee stings every year. Most of these visits are for local reactions that you can treat at home by following these steps. Bee stings and wasp stings are relatively similar, with one big exception. After a sting, honeybees leave a barbed stinger behind and the honeybee dies. Wasps, on the other hand, have a smooth stinger that can sting multiple times without becoming detached from the insect.

Following a honeybee sting, the stinger should be removed as quickly as possible. In many cases, the bee also leaves behind the venom sack, which continues to pump venom as long as it stays intact.

So the sooner you can remove it and the stinger, the sooner you can stop the flow of toxins. A blunt object such as a credit card or butter knife gently scraped across the affected area is the best way to get rid of the stinger. Avoid using tweezers or anything else that could puncture or squeeze the venom sack and make symptoms worse. An antihistamine taken orally or applied as a cream can help alleviate itching and swelling.

Depending on the location of the sting, elevating the area can also reduce swelling. The level of swelling caused by a sting can often be startling. But some people develop similar moderate reactions each time they're stung. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about treatment and prevention, especially if the reaction becomes more severe each time. A severe allergic reaction anaphylaxis to bee stings is potentially life-threatening and requires emergency treatment.

A small percentage of people who are stung by a bee or other insect quickly develop anaphylaxis. Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:. Talk to your doctor or an allergy specialist about prevention measures such as immunotherapy "allergy shots" to avoid a similar reaction in case you get stung again.

Generally, insects such as bees and wasps aren't aggressive and only sting in self-defense. In most cases, this results in one or perhaps a few stings. In some cases a person will disrupt a hive or swarm of bees and get multiple 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.

Signs and symptoms include:. Multiple stings can be a medical emergency in children, older adults, and people who have heart or breathing problems. In most cases, bee stings don't require a visit to your doctor.

In more-severe cases, you'll need immediate care. Call or other emergency services if you're having a serious reaction to a bee sting that suggests anaphylaxis, even if it's just one or two signs or symptoms. If you were prescribed an emergency epinephrine autoinjector EpiPen, Auvi-Q, others , use it right away as your doctor directed. Seek prompt medical care if you've been swarmed by bees and have multiple stings.

To sting, a bee jabs a barbed stinger into the skin. Bee sting venom contains proteins that affect skin cells and the immune system, causing pain and swelling around the sting area.

In people with a bee sting allergy, bee venom can trigger a more-serious immune system reaction.