Bee prepared while enjoying the outdoors

Being stung by an insect can be both painful and frightening.

With the beautiful flowers and state parks to enjoy around our area, Atracare providers have been busy treating many such stings, ranging in severity from simple to life-threatening. It is important to be prepared for anything that could happen after a sting.

Dr. Lindsay Albanese, Atracare’s chief medical officer, who works in urgent care, said, “As you spend time outdoors, it is unavoidable that you will come into contact with insects that sting. It is important to know signs when to seek medical care and when you can treat your bites at home.”

Although rare, occurring in about 3% of stings, anaphylaxis is the most severe and life-threatening reaction after a sting. It can develop within minutes. You can experience an itchy rash called hives, swelling of the tongue, throat or lips, difficulty breathing, wheezing, hoarse voice, abdominal pain, vomiting, lightheadedness and dizziness.

Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should seek emergency medical attention. Anaphylaxis is treated with epinephrine, which is the medication in an Epi-Pen. If patients require epinephrine, they must be monitored for several hours in a medical setting, since the severe allergic reaction can worsen again as the epinephrine wears off.

“The more common problem we see through our urgent care is the localized reaction at the site of the bite,” said Albanese. While biting insects such as ticks and mosquitoes can transmit disease, stinging insects typically do not. Pests like wasps, bees, hornets and yellow jackets inject venom into the host through a stinger. The venom is released in the first few seconds of a sting, and it causes irritation of the surrounding skin. The person being stung typically experiences this as an immediate burning or sharp pain, followed by swelling and redness. For most individuals, these symptoms start to lessen within a few hours. Cold compresses and over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can help with pain.

Occasionally, people can develop what is called a large local reaction to a sting. In these cases, the area of swelling and redness grows to 5 centimeters (the approximate length of an AA battery) or more. Symptoms continue to worsen over the next 48 hours after the initial sting and gradually resolve over 5 to 10 days. Antihistamines like over-the-counter diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can help alleviate itching. For more severe symptoms, there are also prescription-strength antihistamines and even steroids we can prescribe for additional relief. Having a large local reaction to a sting is not believed to increase your chances of anaphylaxis with future stings.

Sometimes, this large local reaction can look a lot like an infection. Both large local reactions and infections can be red, swollen and warm to the touch, but infected insect stings are not as common as local reactions and are usually more painful than itchy. It can be hard to tell the difference between a large local reaction and an infection. If unsure, it is always best to seek medical evaluation.

The best ways to avoid getting stung in the first place are keeping foods and drinks covered when outside, wiping up spills right away, and not walking around in bare feet. Hire pest-control professionals if you have wasp nests near your home. Wearing perfume or certain colored clothing does not significantly increase the risk of being stung, although wearing light clothing may reduce your risk of being stung near a hive or nest.