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Am I having a delayed reaction to a bee sting?

Delayed reaction to bee sting?

  • Is my delayed reaction to a honey bee sting normal? I was stung by a honeybee on the hand about a week ago. I had never been stung by one previously. My reaction was very mild, just some minor pain and swelling in the immediate vicinity of the sting. By the next day, the symptoms were gone and my hand seemed back to normal. Yesterday, however, I woke up with significant swelling, redness, and itching about three inches in diameter on the site where I had been stung. Is this just a delayed reaction to the venom? Or could it be an infection that I should go see a doctor about?

  • Answer:

    Venom does not cause a delayed reaction, it causes an immediate reaction. What you have is undoubtedly an infection. Whether it is an infection that requires medical treatment, or one that you could treat yourself by applying a topical disinfectant, I don't know. Personally I get good results with tincture of iodine; you might want to try it.

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Happens to me every time for any sting based on formic acid (bees, wasps, ants).

flabdablet

Seconding what flabdablet said. Also, since you slept on it, the swelling may be more apparent this morning because of the normal shifting of retained fluid in the body while laying prone for a long period of time. Unless it gets worse, hurts, or doesn't clear up within a reasonable time, I wouldn't worry.

Inspector.Gadget

I'm also leaning toward infection. Treat for both: Take Benadryl for the allergic side, clean thoroughly with a topical antiseptic (alcohol is good), and after that swipe it with Hydrogen Peroxide at regular intervals (to introduce oxygen). If it gets *worse*, get to a doctor. You might need antibiotics.

Citrus

Mine always itch like mad, but not until a day or two later.

bunji

My daughter got that, it turned out to be cellulitis, and she had to go to the emergency room for antibiotics. https://health.google.com/health/ref/Cellulitis

Braunhead

Three inches in diameter? I'd see a doctor. Do you have a local urgent care place you could go to?

limeonaire

My wife was bitten by a horsefly once and had the same symptoms. It was itchy and painful, but it went away eventually (very slowly). YMMV.

zardoz

Well, the swelling went away a couple days after I originally posted this, so I´m guess it was just a delayed allergic reaction and not an infection. Thanks everyone for your comments.

mahamandarava

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