Allergies to Insect Stings

Stinging insects such as bees, yellow jackets, wasps, hornets, bumble bees, and fire ants can cause serious allergic reactions. When stung, most people suffer only localized burning, pain, and swelling. However, patients who experience insect sting allergic reactions can have more severe symptoms including life threatening anaphylaxis. It is estimated that 1% of children and 3% of adults in the U.S. suffer from an insect sting allergy.

What are the symptoms of insect sting allergy?

Once a patient has been stung, a number of allergic systemic signs and symptoms can occur. These include hives, swelling of the tongue and throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, and shock with loss of blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Anaphylactic shock is the most severe type of allergic reaction from insect stings and can result in death.

How is insect allergy diagnosed?

An insect allergy can be diagnosed with a history of a previous anaphylactic reaction to an insect sting. Knowing the type of insect which caused the sting is very helpful in determining the diagnosis. Allergy tests either by blood or skin can confirm the diagnosis.

How is insect allergy treated?

If you have an insect allergy, it is very important to not get stung. We can teach you ways to avoid getting stung. Having emergency medications ready, such as Epipen, which is injectable adrenaline, is very important for immediate relief if you are stung. However, emergency services must be called even if an Epipen is used.

Allergy desensitization shots for insect stings are a very successful treatment with about a 95% response rate. Injecting small amounts of the insect venom can greatly reduce and or eliminate the risk of an allergic reaction. This type of treatment should be considered by all patients with a history of insect sting anaphylaxis.