Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies? You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies? Get the facts
Your options Get allergy shots to make you less sensitive to insect stings and reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis Do not get allergy shots. Instead, try other things such as avoiding stinging insects and carrying epinephrine to deal with the risk of a severe allergic reaction. Key points to remember If you have been stung in the past and had an allergic reaction to the sting Allergy shots usually are recommended only for people who have already had an anaphylactic If you had an anaphylactic reaction in the past, allergy shots greatly reduce your risk of having another.footnote 1 Whether you need allergy shots depends on your reaction to an insect sting in the past. You may not need allergy shots if you had a normal (localized) reaction, a larger local reaction, or one that caused swelling and redness to much of your body but did not cause anaphylaxis. If you have had allergy tests that found one or more sensitivities to insect stings, allergy shots can prevent life-threatening reactions and also make you less worried about insect stings. Allergy shots may not be safe for you if you have an autoimmune disease Allergy shots can hurt a little, may trigger anaphylaxis in some people, can be costly, and usually take 3 to 5 years to complete. Compare your options
Compare Option 1 Have allergy shots Don't have allergy shots
Compare Option 2 Have allergy shots Don't have allergy shots
What is usually involved?
What are the benefits?
What are the risks and side effects?
Have allergy shots Have allergy shots You have a series of allergy shots every week. After 4 to 6 months of weekly shots, you get a shot every 4 weeks. How long you receive monthly shots depends on the type of insect sting you are treating. If you have had a severe allergic reaction, allergy shots can prevent symptoms from future insect stings or make your symptoms less severe. You may have:
Redness and warmth at the injection site. (This is the most common side effect.) Large local reactions that include itching, hives, or swelling of the skin near the injection site. A serious reaction, which may include having a hard time breathing or swelling in the deep layers of the skin. In rare cases, this allergic reaction can be life-threatening. Don't have allergy shots Don't have allergy shots You avoid insect stings. If you get stung, you take medicine, such as antihistamines You carry epinephrine in case of a severe allergic reaction. You will avoid having shots. You won't have to spend the money on a long series of shots. You won't have to travel to a clinic for regular shots. You could have a moderate to severe allergic reaction to an insect sting. You could have an anaphylactic allergic reaction, especially if you've had one before. I have what must be a mild allergy to bee stings. I've been stung three or four times over the past decade, and I always swell up quite a bit—my whole arm or leg or wherever the sting is—and break out in hives around the sting, too. But it never gets any worse than that. For me, allergy shots would just be too much bother and expense for something that only happens once in a great while, and my doctor tells me it's not really needed. My doctor and I make sure I have an up-to-date epinephrine shot just in case, but I've never had to use it.
Our 7-year-old boy was stung on the shoulder by a hornet at a family picnic. He was uncomfortable with a patch of hives across his back, but he got over it without anything worse. After talking things over with our pediatrician, we decided allergy shots wouldn't be needed. The chances he'll have another reaction like that are pretty low. But we do keep an epinephrine shot at home and with the nurse at school.
I have had systemic reactions to insect stings before, although none were life-threatening. I work in the landscaping and grounds maintenance industry, so I am outdoors almost every day mowing lawns, trimming hedges, tending flowerbeds, and similar activities that really put me at risk of getting stung. I carry an epinephrine shot to my work sites, but I wanted to do something to reduce my sensitivity to stings and cut the risk that I might have a really bad reaction. So I've decided to have immunotherapy.
Our daughter was 14 years old when she had a pretty severe reaction to a yellow-jacket sting. She had swelling over most of her body and a bad outbreak of hives. She was very frightened. After talking it over with our doctor and an allergist, we decided to have her take allergy shots. They told us her risk of having another similar reaction was fairly high, and we felt it was worth the cost and the bother of having the allergy shots to reduce the risk. We also make sure she keeps her epinephrine shot close by.
What matters most to you?
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Each pair of questions uses a 3 point scale where 3 is more important, 1 is less important and 0 is equally important. Use the right and left arrow keys to navigate the scale. Reasons to choose allergy shots for insect stings
Reasons not to choose allergy shots for insect stings
I won't use an allergy kit, because I don't want to give myself a shot.
I feel comfortable giving myself a shot if I need to.
More important
Equally important
More important
I am worried about getting stung and having a bad reaction.
I am more afraid of the allergy shots than of my reaction to the insect stings.
More important
Equally important
More important
I don't mind spending the time and money to have allergy shots if it means I can avoid a bad reaction to an insect sting.
I don't want to spend the time or money to have allergy shots.
More important
Equally important
More important
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
More important
Equally important
More important
Where are you leaning now?
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Use the following 3 point scale where 3 is leaning toward, 1 is may be leaning toward, and 0 is undecided. Use the right and left arrow keys to navigate the scale. Having allergy shots
NOT having allergy shots
Leaning toward
Undecided
Leaning toward
What else do you need to make your decision?
Check the facts 1. 1, I had a serious (anaphylactic) reaction to an insect sting in the past. This means I have a higher chance of having another bad reaction if I get stung again. 2. 2, With allergy shots, small amounts of insect venom are injected into my body. This may prevent or reduce a bad reaction if I get stung again. 3. 3, My chances of having a serious reaction to an insect sting are low. I was stung in the past, but I had only a slight skin reaction. Decide what's next 1. 1, Do you understand the options available to you?
2. 2, Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. 3, Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
Certainty 1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use a 7 point scale where 1 is not sure at all, 4 is somewhat sure, and 7 is very sure. Use the right and left arrow keys to navigate the scale.
Not sure at all
Somewhat sure
Very sure
2. 2, Check what you need to do before you make this decision. 3. Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.
Your Summary
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Incomplete section
You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies? Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Get the facts Compare your options What matters most to you? Where are you leaning now? What else do you need to make your decision? 1. Get the Facts Your options Get allergy shots to make you less sensitive to insect stings and reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis Do not get allergy shots. Instead, try other things such as avoiding stinging insects and carrying epinephrine to deal with the risk of a severe allergic reaction. Key points to remember If you have been stung in the past and had an allergic reaction to the sting Allergy shots usually are recommended only for people who have already had an anaphylactic If you had an anaphylactic reaction in the past, allergy shots greatly reduce your risk of having another.1 Whether you need allergy shots depends on your reaction to an insect sting in the past. You may not need allergy shots if you had a normal (localized) reaction, a larger local reaction, or one that caused swelling and redness to much of your body but did not cause anaphylaxis. If you have had allergy tests that found one or more sensitivities to insect stings, allergy shots can prevent life-threatening reactions and also make you less worried about insect stings. Allergy shots may not be safe for you if you have an autoimmune disease Allergy shots can hurt a little, may trigger anaphylaxis in some people, can be costly, and usually take 3 to 5 years to complete. FAQs
What are allergies to insect stings? An allergic reaction to a sting occurs when your body's immune system allergens
What are the different types of allergic reactions? Minor allergic reactions occur around the site of the sting. This is called a localized reaction , and it can cause pain, itching, redness, swelling, and hives
Large local reactions may cause the same symptoms as mild reactions, plus redness and swelling that affects large parts of your body, such as an entire arm or leg.
Systemic reactions are those that spread throughout your body. One type may only involve your skin, causing hives or deeper skin swelling (a cutaneous reaction), but it does not affect the tongue or throat or cause breathing problems. A more serious type of systemic reaction can cause symptoms such as swelling of the tongue, throat, or other body parts.
A life-threatening systemic allergic reaction called anaphylaxis can cause severe symptoms such as confusion, trouble breathing, shock
How do allergy shots work? Allergy shots work by putting small amounts of insect venom into your body, making you less sensitive over time to the venom.
Getting a series of allergy shots can prevent a systemic allergic reaction or make it less severe. Allergy shots aren't needed if you have a mild reaction, a large local reaction, or even a systemic reaction that only affects your skin. Only about 4 to 10 people out of 100 who have these kinds of reactions to insect stings go on to have a more serious, anaphylactic reaction.1 1
Allergy shots can greatly reduce your risk of having another life-threatening reaction if you've had one before. Imagine a group of 100 people who have had a life-threatening reaction. Without allergy shots, up to 60 of those 100 people will have another life-threatening reaction in the future. But if those 100 people get allergy shots, only 5 of them will have another life-threatening reaction.1
After allergy tests have identified the insect(s) you are allergic to, you can begin to get the shots. At first, you will get weekly shots of small doses of venom and allergens from the insect(s) that cause your allergies. After about 4 to 6 months of weekly shots, you will get regular maintenance doses for 3 to 5 years, depending on the type of stings that cause your allergies. For example, fire ant allergies require longer treatment than other stinging insect allergies.
How can you treat severe allergic reactions? If you have had severe reactions to insect stings in the past, you may want to get a series of allergy shots on a faster schedule, called "rush immunotherapy." For this you get allergy shots every few hours on one day or every few days. This helps to rapidly increase your tolerance to an allergen. After the first shot, you must wait to see if you have a reaction to the shot. If you don't have a reaction, you get more shots throughout the day. You (or your child) may feel anxious about receiving the next shot. So it may help to bring a book or something to distract you while you wait. Rush immunotherapy is usually done by a specialist. Having a severe reaction to this treatment is more likely than with standard allergy shots.
This treatment usually works in 1 to 8 days instead of the standard treatment, which takes several months. You may have this "rush" treatment if you have severe or life-threatening allergic reactions to insect stings, are a long distance from any type of health care centre, or are about to travel.
What are the risks of allergy shots? Allergy shots are safe for most people. The most common side effects are redness and warmth at the injection site. Some people may have large local reactions that include itching, hives, or swelling of the skin near the injection site.
But allergy shots can trigger a more serious reaction, which may include trouble breathing or swelling in the deep layers of the skin. In rare cases, a person may have a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis
Talk with your doctor if you have an autoimmune disease (such as lupus) or are taking medicine for heart problems (such as beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors). Allergy shots may not be safe for you.
Why might your doctor recommend allergy shots? Your doctor may advise you to have allergy shots for insect stings if:
Allergy tests showed that you are sensitive to allergens You had a life-threatening allergic reaction to an insect sting. You have anaphylactic reactions to insect stings but cannot carry epinephrine with you at all times. You work outside and have worse reactions each time you are stung. You have only been stung once but had a moderate to severe reaction. Why might your doctor NOT recommend allergy shots? Allergy tests showed that you are not sensitive to allergens from the venom of insects. You have an autoimmune disease (such as lupus) or are taking heart medicine (such as beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors). Your allergic reaction to insect stings doesn't cause an anaphylactic reaction. You are younger than 16 and had a mild skin reaction all over your body (cutaneous reaction) without any other symptoms. You tried allergy shots before, but the shots triggered a moderate to severe allergic reaction. 2. Compare your options Have allergy shots Don't have allergy shots What is usually involved? You have a series of allergy shots every week. After 4 to 6 months of weekly shots, you get a shot every 4 weeks. How long you receive monthly shots depends on the type of insect sting you are treating. You avoid insect stings. If you get stung, you take medicine, such as antihistamines You carry epinephrine in case of a severe allergic reaction. What are the benefits? If you have had a severe allergic reaction, allergy shots can prevent symptoms from future insect stings or make your symptoms less severe. You will avoid having shots. You won't have to spend the money on a long series of shots. You won't have to travel to a clinic for regular shots. What are the risks and side effects? You may have:
Redness and warmth at the injection site. (This is the most common side effect.) Large local reactions that include itching, hives, or swelling of the skin near the injection site. A serious reaction, which may include having a hard time breathing or swelling in the deep layers of the skin. In rare cases, this allergic reaction can be life-threatening. You could have a moderate to severe allergic reaction to an insect sting. You could have an anaphylactic allergic reaction, especially if you've had one before.
Personal stories Personal stories about allergy shots for insect stings These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"I have had systemic reactions to insect stings before, although none were life-threatening. I work in the landscaping and grounds maintenance industry, so I am outdoors almost every day mowing lawns, trimming hedges, tending flowerbeds, and similar activities that really put me at risk of getting stung. I carry an epinephrine shot to my work sites, but I wanted to do something to reduce my sensitivity to stings and cut the risk that I might have a really bad reaction. So I've decided to have immunotherapy."
"I have what must be a mild allergy to bee stings. I've been stung three or four times over the past decade, and I always swell up quite a bit—my whole arm or leg or wherever the sting is—and break out in hives around the sting, too. But it never gets any worse than that. For me, allergy shots would just be too much bother and expense for something that only happens once in a great while, and my doctor tells me it's not really needed. My doctor and I make sure I have an up-to-date epinephrine shot just in case, but I've never had to use it."
"Our daughter was 14 years old when she had a pretty severe reaction to a yellow-jacket sting. She had swelling over most of her body and a bad outbreak of hives. She was very frightened. After talking it over with our doctor and an allergist, we decided to have her take allergy shots. They told us her risk of having another similar reaction was fairly high, and we felt it was worth the cost and the bother of having the allergy shots to reduce the risk. We also make sure she keeps her epinephrine shot close by."
"Our 7-year-old boy was stung on the shoulder by a hornet at a family picnic. He was uncomfortable with a patch of hives across his back, but he got over it without anything worse. After talking things over with our pediatrician, we decided allergy shots wouldn't be needed. The chances he'll have another reaction like that are pretty low. But we do keep an epinephrine shot at home and with the nurse at school."
3. What matters most to you? Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to choose allergy shots for insect stings
Reasons not to choose allergy shots for insect stings
I won't use an allergy kit, because I don't want to give myself a shot.
I feel comfortable giving myself a shot if I need to.
More important
Equally important
More important
I am worried about getting stung and having a bad reaction.
I am more afraid of the allergy shots than of my reaction to the insect stings.
More important
Equally important
More important
I don't mind spending the time and money to have allergy shots if it means I can avoid a bad reaction to an insect sting.
I don't want to spend the time or money to have allergy shots.
More important
Equally important
More important
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
More important
Equally important
More important
4. Where are you leaning now? Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Having allergy shots
NOT having allergy shots
Leaning toward
Undecided
Leaning toward
5. What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts 1. I had a serious (anaphylactic) reaction to an insect sting in the past. This means I have a higher chance of having another bad reaction if I get stung again.
That's right. If you have been stung in the past and had a bad reaction, you have a high risk of having a similar reaction if you get stung again.
2. With allergy shots, small amounts of insect venom are injected into my body. This may prevent or reduce a bad reaction if I get stung again.
That's right. Allergy shots work by putting small amounts of insect venom into your body, making you less sensitive over time to the venom.
3. My chances of having a serious reaction to an insect sting are low. I was stung in the past, but I had only a slight skin reaction.
That's right. Only about 4 to 10 out of 100 people with localized reactions to insect stings later have a more serious, anaphylactic reaction.
Decide what's next 1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
Certainty 1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Not sure at all
Somewhat sure
Very sure
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
3. Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.
Credits
References
Citations
Note: The "printer friendly" document will not contain all the information available in the online document some Information (e.g. cross-references to other topics, definitions or medical illustrations) is only available in the online version.
Current as of: September 25, 2023
Golden DBK, et al. (2016). Stinging insect hypersensitivity: A practice parameter update 2016. Annals of Allergy Asthma Immunology, 118(1): 28–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2016.10.031. Accessed February 3, 2017.
