Allergies to Insect Stings - Topic Overview
If you or your child has severe reactions, your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine shot, such as an EpiPen, that you keep with you or your child at all times. Teach others, such as teachers, friends, or coworkers, what to do if you're stung and how to give the shot. Also, be sure to wear a medical alert bracelet or other jewelry that lists your allergies. During an emergency, these can save your life.
You may also want to try allergy shots,
called immunotherapy, to help prevent worse allergic reactions in the
To reduce your
chances of being stung:
- Stay away from places where insects nest.
- Wear shoes, long sleeves, and long pants when you are outdoors.
- Don't wear perfume or scented lotions.
If you are stung, stay as calm and quiet as you can. Then move away from the insect and leave
the area, because the nest may be close by.
Remove the stinger from your skin. It may be best to scrape or flick the stinger off
your skin—squeezing or gripping the stinger to pull it out may inject more
venom into your wound. If you were stung in your arm or leg, lower it to slow the spread of venom. Then treat the insect sting based on the type of reaction you have.