When you are stung by an insect, poisons and other toxins in the insect's venom enter your skin. It is normal to have some swelling, redness, pain, and itching at the site of a sting. An allergic reaction to the sting occurs when your body's immune system overreacts to substances called allergens that are in the venom of stinging insects. You may not always develop an allergic reaction the first time you are stung.

allergic reaction to an insect sting is diagnosed by a physical exam and a medical history. Once you have recovered from the allergic reaction, you may be given allergy tests to find which types of insect stings you are allergic to and how sensitive you are to the allergens.

Wasps, honey bees, hornets, yellow jackets and ants are the insects most likely to cause strong allergic reactions. Some biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, lice, kissing bugs and fleas) can cause allergies as well because they inject saliva to thin the blood when they bite. Finally, some caterpillars are covered with hairs that contain a substance irritating to human skin and this can sometimes cause allergic reactions.

In general there are three kinds of reactions to insect stings. The first kind, normal reactions, involve pain, redness, swelling, itching, and warmth at the site of the sting. The second kind, toxic reactions, are the result of multiple stings. Five hundred stings within a short time are considered likely to kill because of the quantity of venom involved. As few as ten stings within a short time can cause serious illness.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to insect stings vary from mild to life-threatening. The severity of your allergic reaction depends on your sensitivity to the allergens in the venom—not necessarily on the number of stings or how often you have been stung in the past. It is normal to have some immediate swelling, redness, pain, and itching at the site of an insect sting—poisons and other toxins in the insect's venom enter the skin when you are stung.

No one knows for sure, but it is estimated that at least 4 of every 1000 people are affected. Each year 50 to 100 people in the U.S. die from reactions to stings. Many summer deaths attributed to heart attack or drowning may actually be due to allergic reactions to insect stings, so the number may be even higher. More people are killed in the U.S.

Essentially the same thing that causes all allergies — the immune system. Some people produce antibodies in response to some substances. When this happens, the person becomes allergic to the substance. When the substance is introduced into the body at later times, there will be a more or less severe allergic reaction. In the case of insect allergies (or more correctly, insect *venom* allergies), the substance is the venom injected by the insect when it stings.

According to the Committee on Insect Allergy of the American Academy of Allergy, insect allergies occur as frequently in people who have no other allergies as in those who do. Severe reactions most often occur after the age of 30, although they have been observed at all ages. A person who has already had an allergic reaction is more likely to have one in response to the next sting suffered. However, the absence of a reaction one time doesn't mean that it won't occur subsequently.

allergic reaction to an insect sting is caused by sensitivity to allergens in the venom of the insect. Your immune system overreacts to these allergens as though they are harmful, foreign substances in your body. A few types of stinging insects—such as bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and fire ants—cause most allergic reactions to insect stings.

This question requires its own frequently asked questions page. See our extensive Allergy Guide for information including a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used decongestants, antihistamines (including Allegra), and intranasal corticosteroids for allergy-relief .

The major offenders are those in the hymenoptera family: bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and fire ants (which are native to the southeastern United States).

This high resolution photograph (194K) illustrates the pustules that may result the day after being stung. Each pustule represents a separate sting.

Immediately after being stung, wash off the area with alcohol, try not to scratch it so it doesn't get infected . Sometimes a white pustule will form the second day, but it will eventually be resorbed. Commercial preparations such as StingEze, etc will numb the area for a while. A thick paste of baking soda and water can also help right after the sting. Careful application of ice will help decrease pain, but can burn the skin if left on too long. Meat tenderizer can also burn the skin.

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Move it to another part of the body. The stinging or tingling is felt when it is on a part of the body which is too acidic. Failure to move the zapper will result in burns over time. This generally applies to the Micro-Zappit and Viro-Zap when using the built in pads. Applying the Zapper Gel will greatly reduce this. Our gel has been developed by a leading Medical Company in South Africa and does not stain, is odorless and dries to an inert white powder.

allergist or immunologist can diagnose your allergies using allergy skin tests, which show if your immune system reacts to specific allergens. You can also test your reactivity to common allergens using a home allergy test.

Allergies can be treated with medicine that alleviates symptoms or immunotherapy (allergy shots) that desensitize the patient to specific allergens with weekly shots over several years. However, the best method of treating allergies is allergen avoidance. If you're allergic to dust mites, for instance, your most effective path to wellness would be to eliminate the dust mites from your home.

Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and approximately 55 percent of all U.S. citizens test positive to one or more allergens.

There is a genetic factor in the development of allergic disease. If one parent has allergic disease, the estimated risk of a child to develop allergies is 48%; the child's estimated risk grows to 70% if both parents have a history of allergies.

We know that the predisposition to allergies is genetic. While we are not sure of the exact mechanism of inheritance, we know that children born to allergic parents have an increased risk of developing allergy. The exact risk has not been established but one can consider that approximately one-third to one-half of children born to parents where only one parent is allergic will have allergies, and 50 to 70 percent of children born to parents both of whom have allergies will become allergic.

Allergy testing is done to help gather specific information so your doctor can determine what you are allergic to and how to provide the best treatment for your allergy. A common test used to determine the allergic sensitizations of a patient is called the RAST test. This is a test that is done with merely a blood sample. The results are not affected by any medication a patient may be taking.

Feel funny after you eat that barbeque chicken? Find out if your allergy and asthma symptoms at the neighborhood barbecue are related to the type of wood that was burned.

The substance which provokes an allergic reaction is called an allergen or antigen. This can be a substance that is ingested, such as milk, corn, fish, or other foods. Allergens can also be substances in the surrounding environment, such as house dust, animal dander, chemicals, bacteria and pollens, which induce allergic reactions after being touched or inhaled.

Allergies have been around for a long time. A case of food allergy was recorded over 2000 years ago by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who observed that milk could cause gastric upset and hives. In modern times, food and environmental allergies have increased dramatically. It has been estimated that at least 60% of the American population suffers from symptoms associated with food reactions.

No one knows for sure why allergies are on the rise. But some scientists believe that increased chemical pollution in our air, water, and food is causing an escalation in the frequency and severity of allergic reactions. Most commercial foods now contain hundreds of hidden ingredients--both natural and synthetic--that have been identified as agents in many allergic reactions.