A wasp sting typically results in an itchy and painful welt. While it can be uncomfortable, most people recover quickly and without complications. Read on to learn how you treat a wasp sting.

Wasp stings are common, especially during the warmer months when people are outside for longer periods.

Wasps, like bees and hornets, are equipped with a stinger for self-defense. A wasp’s stinger contains venom (a poisonous substance) that’s transmitted to humans during a sting.

However, even without a lodged stinger, wasp venom can cause significant pain and irritation. It’s also possible to have a serious reaction if you’re allergic to the venom. In either case, prompt treatment is important for alleviating symptoms and complications.

The majority of people without sting allergies will show only minor symptoms during and after a wasp sting. The initial sensations can include:

Normal local reactions

You’re likely to develop a raised welt around the sting site. A tiny discolored mark may be visible in the middle of the welt where the stinger punctured your skin. Usually, the pain and swelling recede within 1 to 2 hours of being stung.

Large local reactions

“Large local reactions” is a term used to describe more pronounced symptoms associated with a wasp or bee sting. People with large local reactions may be allergic to wasp stings, but they don’t experience life threatening symptoms, such as anaphylactic shock.

Large local reactions to wasp stings include extreme discoloration and swelling that increases for 2 or 3 days after the sting. Nausea and vomiting can also occur.

Large local reactions usually subside on their own over the course of a week or so.

The most severe allergic reactions to wasp stings are referred to as anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis occurs when your body goes into shock in response to wasp venom. Most people who go into shock after a wasp sting do so very quickly. It’s important to seek immediate emergency care to treat anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction to wasp stings include:

You may not experience all of these symptoms after a wasp sting, but you’re likely to experience at least some of them after a subsequent sting if you are severely allergic.

When should you carry a bee sting kit?

If you have a history of anaphylaxis, it is important to carry a kit in the event of a wasp sting.

“Bee sting kits” contain epinephrine injections (EpiPen) that you can give yourself after a wasp sting. Epinephrine has several effects that help stabilize blood pressure, increase the heart rate and strength, and help respiration return to normal.

Anaphylactic shock is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Learn more about this condition, including what to do if someone you know is experiencing it.

Mild to moderate reactions

You can treat mild and moderate reactions to wasp stings at home. While treating your sting at home, you should:

  • wash the sting area with soap and water to remove as much of the venom as possible
  • apply a cold pack to the wound site to reduce swelling and pain
  • keep the wound clean and dry to prevent infection
  • cover with a bandage if desired

The following home remedies can also help:

  • hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, if itching or skin irritation becomes bothersome
  • baking soda and colloidal oatmeal used during a bath or in the form of medicated skin creams, to help soothe the skin
  • OTC pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, to help manage pain associated with wasp stings.
  • antihistamine drugs, including diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine, to reduce itching.

Severe reactions

Severe allergic reactions to wasp stings require immediate medical attention. Overall, up to 0.8 percent of children and 3 percent of adults have insect sting allergies.

If you have an EpiPen, administer it as soon as symptoms begin. If you have a history of wasp allergies, administer the EpiPen as soon as you’re stung and then call 911.

Treatment for severe allergic reactions to wasp stings can include:

  • additional epinephrine to calm your immune system
  • cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if breathing has temporarily stopped
  • oxygen, steroids, or other medications to improve breathing

Wasp and bee stings can cause similar symptoms, but the treatment measures are slightly different. While a bee can only sting once because its stinger becomes stuck in the skin of its victim, a wasp can sting more than once during an attack. Wasp stingers remain intact.

Unless you’re allergic, most bee stings can be treated at home.

If you have a known bee allergy, you should administer an EpiPen immediately and call 911.

Wasp stings can occur at any life stage, including pregnancy. Unless you have a known venom allergy or have had large local reactions in the past, wasp stings aren’t a concern.

You can follow the same treatment measures as someone who isn’t pregnant, but avoid antihistamines containing decongestant ingredients.

While wasp stings alone won’t harm an unborn baby, a severe allergic reaction can. It’s important to use an EpiPen if needed and to call 911 if you’re experiencing anaphylaxis.

While bug bites and stings are often seen as a rite of passage during childhood, this doesn’t make them any less dangerous and uncomfortable. Toddlers are particularly vulnerable because they may not be able to fully verbalize that they’ve been stung by a wasp.

When your toddler is playing outside, be on the lookout for signs of a wasp sting and investigate the source of any tears and complaints immediately.

At a young age, you can teach your children about ways they can prevent wasp stings.

For example, you can show your child what wasps and their nests look like and how to avoid them. Other safety precautions include not walking barefoot outside and avoiding drinking out of sugary drinks that might be left outdoors, as these can attract insects.

In rare cases, wasp stings can contribute to complications, such as:

  • multiorgan failures
  • neurological symptoms, such as a seizure
  • cardiovascular symptoms, such as rapid heart rate and arrhythmias

If you have a venom allergy, consider talking with a doctor about venom immunotherapy, administered as allergy shots.

How long does a wasp sting last?

Symptoms from a wasp sting typically last 1 to 2 hours, but in some cases, it may take several days for pain and swelling to go down.

Do wasps leave stingers in you?

Unlike bees, wasps do not leave stingers in you. Wasps can sting multiple times without leaving a stinger behind.

A wasp sting can be uncomfortable and painful. However, most people recover quickly and without complications.

In rare cases, it is possible to have a serious reaction if you’re allergic to the venom. In either case, prompt treatment is important for alleviating symptoms and complications.

For mild symptoms, wasp stings can typically be managed at home with OTC pain relievers and treatments like hydrocortisone creams.

Severe allergic reactions to wasp stings require immediate medical attention. If you have an EpiPen, administer it as soon as symptoms begin. If you have a history of wasp allergies, administer the EpiPen as soon as you’re stung and then call 911.