From huge swelling to shock
Almost everyone has been stung by an insect and knows that it can be annoying. However, the itching, swelling and pain will go away on their own. However, this is not always the case with an allergic reaction and it can make you very sick. Sometimes it is even necessary to seek medical help quickly.
Not everyone reacts the same to an insect bite. The most common complaints are pain, redness, swelling and itching, but some people have more complaints than others. Sometimes the reaction is so intense that a blister or blister develops.
Hypersensitivity
It can also happen that the stung or bitten body part swells enormously. Doctors call this a ‘large local’: a strong local reaction. Such swelling may also be accompanied by nausea, feelings of general malaise, headache and fatigue. Sometimes these symptoms can last for a week.
A significant swelling after an insect bite can be troublesome, but is not alarming. Treatment is usually with NSAIDs, corticosteroids, or anti-allergy medications (antihistamines). As long as the complaints are limited to the area around the bite, there is generally no cause for concern.
Allergic reaction
An allergy, however, goes one step further. One in a hundred people in the Netherlands has a wasp allergy. Every year, five to ten people die as a result of such an allergy. You can also develop an allergy to bees and bumblebees, but that is less common because they sting less.
An allergy can only develop if you have already been stung once. At that time, antibodies are produced in the body. With each subsequent sting, there is then about a 50 percent chance of an allergic reaction. Important signs are red rash, swelling and itching all over the body, tightness of the chest, lightheadedness and vomiting. The symptoms usually appear within 15 to 30 minutes after the sting.
In shock
In the worst case, you can go into anaphylactic shock. Your blood pressure drops, causing you to faint or even go into a coma. If you suspect a severe reaction to an insect bite, it’s best to see a doctor right away. Some people who know they have an allergy carry an adrenaline auto-injection pen with them. Adrenaline can temporarily raise blood pressure again after a sting. Even after such an injection, you should immediately contact a doctor.
People with such an allergy may benefit from immunotherapy (also called desensitization). This is a treatment in which patients are made insensitive (immune) to wasp venom by slowly letting their body get used to it.
To the doctor
An (allergic) reaction to an insect bite can have quite serious consequences, so contact your doctor immediately in the following cases:
- If you have been stung in the mouth, tongue or throat.
- If you are stung while you are hypersensitive to insect stings or have been very ill before.
- If you experience shortness of breath immediately after the sting.
- If you get a rash or swelling immediately after the sting in a place other than where you were stung, for example on your eyelids or lips.
Even if you get itchy all over your body after a sting, it is wise to contact your doctor.