Wasp Stings
Some Important Facts About Wasp Stings
Wasp stings are one of the most common and most dangerous out of a wide variety of insect bites and stings. Along with bees and ants, wasps are one of the top 3 insects whose stings can cause serious problems to allergic humans. While being stung by a wasp is fairly harmless most of the time, a wasp sting can be deadly to anyone with a specific allergy to wasps or other insect venom.
Stinging wasps are the best known type of wasp, and the fiercest wasp stings come from three species of wasp: the paper wasp, the hornet and the yellow jacket. People without a specific allergy to wasps or insect venom have no need to fear being stung by a wasp. Although an unpleasant experience for sure, the vast majority of wasp bites are not deadly or even slightly damaging.
When a non-allergic person is stung by a wasp, they usually experience a minor local reaction which includes swelling around the area of the sting along with minimal pain and swelling. If the wasp’s stinger remains in the skin, there is a slight risk of bacterial infection, but this is not a frequent occurrence.
It is estimated that less than 1 percent of the population is allergic to wasp stings. So even though we may hear a lot about allergic reactions to insect bites, in reality this in not something that happens very often. When it does happen, however, it can be deadly if aid is not given quickly.
Under normal circumstances, a wasp sting causes a reaction in a small, localized area of the skin surrounding the area around the injury. In an allergic person, however, the venom from the wasp sting travels to affect other parts of the body. The following symptoms can occur – with differing levels of severity – when a person has an allergic reaction to a wasp sting:
- anxious feelings
- breathing problems, including difficulty getting a breath and shortness of breath
- chest pain
- hives or rapidly spreading rash
- low blood pressure, which may cause fainting or general weakness
- nausea
- swelling in the mouth and throat area (this is in addition to the area around the sting)
- vomiting
With a severe allergic reaction to a wasp sting, these symptoms will be even worse and can escalate to inability to breath, unconsciousness, organ failure and even death. If a person has had a previous allergic reaction to a wasp sting, emergency medical care is needed immediately after being stung. If even the slightest suspicion of allergy is present, it is wise to seek medical attention as quickly as possible, even if the symptoms are not too severe. If the area around the sting site grows to more than 10 inches or the symptoms last more than 1 or 2 days, then a doctor should be consulted.