What to Know if You Get a Yellow Jacket Sting
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Medically reviewed by Mary Josephine Hessert, DOMedically reviewed by Mary Josephine Hessert, DO
Yellow jackets are social wasps with distinctive black and yellow markings. These insects are known for their aggression when threatened, making them a common cause of summertime insect stings. They use their stingers to inject venom into the skin, typically to defend their nest or search for food.
Yellow jacket stings are common and the leading cause of wasp stings in the United States. Most stings occur in the warmer summer months.
Common symptoms of a yellow jacket sting include pain, redness, and swelling at the sting site. Some people develop a life-threatening allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, to yellow jacket venom and require immediate medical attention.
Symptoms
When a yellow jacket stings you, it inserts venom into your body through its stinger. Reactions to this venom vary from person to person. For most people, yellow jacket stings cause a localized reaction at the sting site, meaning symptoms are confined to the area where you were stung.
Common symptoms of a yellow jacket sting include:
Pain: The initial sting may feel sharp and painful or like a burning sensation.
Swelling: The area around the sting may become red and swollen. In some cases, the swelling may spread. For example, if you get stung on your forearm, your entire arm may swell. Swelling typically subsides within hours or days.
Itching: Once the pain subsides, the sting site may become intensely itchy. The itching can be bothersome and may last for days after the sting.
Allergic Reaction Symptoms
Some people are allergic to yellow jacket stings. Allergic reactions can vary in severity, cause systemic (bodywide) symptoms, and can quickly become life-threatening (anaphylaxis). Allergic reaction symptoms from a yellow jacket sting can include:
Skin rashes or hives (red, itchy bumps or welts that may be widespread on the skin)
Facial swelling, including the lips, tongue, eyes, and throat
Chest tightness
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Wheezing (whistling sound during breathing)
Abdominal pain
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Rapid heart rate
Slurred speech
Seek immediate medical attention if you or someone you know develops symptoms of an allergic reaction after a yellow jacket sting. Anaphylaxis can quickly develop into anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylactic shock can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness and lead to respiratory or cardiac arrest (no breathing or heartbeat) and death.
Serum Sickness (Delayed Reaction) Symptoms
Most reactions occur immediately after a sting, but some people may experience a delayed reaction known as serum sickness. This can occur hours or days after the sting and cause flu-like symptoms such as:
Joint pain
Hives
Fatigue
What Causes Yellow Jacket Stings and Allergic Reactions?
Yellow jackets are most likely to sting if they feel threatened or their nest is disturbed. They may also sting in competition for food and are often attracted to outdoor picnics in search of meats, fruits, and sweet liquids like sodas.
When a yellow jacket stings, it injects venom through a stinger at the tip of its abdomen. This venom contains proteins that trigger a localized reaction at the sting site. Unlike bees, which lose their stingers after stinging, yellow jackets can sting multiple times.
The reaction to a yellow jacket sting occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to the proteins in the venom. Usually, this reaction is mild and localized. However, in some people, the immune system overreacts to the venom, leading to a more severe allergic reaction.
Risk Factors for Allergic Reactions
Some people are more likely to experience allergic reactions to a yellow jacket sting. Certain factors can increase your risk of allergic reactions, including:
Age: Older adults are more likely to have severe allergic reactions to insect stings.
Sex: Males and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) have higher rates of severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in response to insect stings.
Allergies: A previous allergic reaction to an insect sting, especially a wasp sting, increases the risk of anaphylaxis.
Multiple stings: Getting stung multiple times by a yellow jacket or swarm of yellow jackets increases the risk of a severe reaction. People with a recent sting followed by another also have a higher risk.
Absence of skin symptoms: People who do not develop skin-related symptoms, such as swelling or itching, in response to insect stings are more likely to develop more severe, systemic symptoms.
Diagnosis
In most cases, diagnosing a yellow jacket sting is straightforward. Healthcare providers can typically determine whether you are allergic to a sting based on your symptoms and by examining the sting site for swelling, redness, and warmth.
If you are unsure what type of insect stung you, your healthcare provider may order a blood test to diagnose a yellow jacket venom allergy. This involves taking a blood sample and sending it to the lab to check for the presence of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies the body produces in response to yellow jacket stings in people with venom allergies.
If you have a history of severe allergic reactions or experience concerning symptoms after a sting, your healthcare provider may recommend further testing to assess your allergy risk. This could involve skin prick tests or further blood testing to identify specific insect venoms you are allergic to.
Yellow Jacket Sting Treatment
Treatment for a yellow jacket sting varies, depending on the severity of the reaction. In most cases, treatment focuses on reducing pain and swelling. In the case of a severe allergic reaction, treatment focuses on controlling symptoms to prevent life-threatening complications.
Basic First Aid
Basic first aid is sufficient for treating most yellow jacket stings. After a sting, you should:
Wash the sting site and surrounding area with soap and water
Place a cloth-covered ice pack on the sting site for 10 minutes to reduce pain and swelling, remove it for 10 minutes, and repeat if necessary
Take an over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication, such as Advil (ibuprofen) to help reduce pain
Apply topical creams or lotions to the sting site, such as Afterbite with Antihistamine or Benadryl Itch Stopping Gel (diphenhydramine) to relieve itching
Watch for signs of infection, such as increasing or spreading redness, swelling, or pain over the next few days
Treatment for Allergic Reactions
When a yellow jacket sting causes anaphylaxis, use an EpiPen (if available) immediately. An EpiPen is an auto-injector that delivers a dose of epinephrine, a medication that can rapidly reverse symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. Call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room, even if symptoms improve after using an EpiPen.
Do not wait for symptoms to worsen before seeking medical attention. While waiting for medical help, you can:
Keep the affected area still to prevent the venom from spreading
Loosen clothing and remove jewelry
Administer Benadryl (diphenhydramine) by mouth if possible
Once you arrive at the emergency room, healthcare providers will determine the most appropriate treatment based on the severity of the allergic reaction. This may include:
Medications: Antihistamines and H2 blockers, such as diphenhydramine and cimetidine, can help control allergic reaction symptoms. Inhaled bronchodilators, like albuterol, can help open the airways and improve breathing.
Intravenous (IV) fluids: Administering fluids through a vein can help maintain hydration and improve blood pressure.
Supplemental oxygen: Oxygen therapy can help people improve breathing when shortness of breath or difficulty breathing occurs after a yellow jacket sting.
How To Prevent Yellow Jacket Stings
While it's not always possible to avoid a yellow jacket sting, you can lower your risk of being stung. Here's how:
Wear light-colored clothing and avoid brightly colored or floral-patterned shirts
Avoid wearing perfumes and using fruit-scented personal care products like shampoos or body washes
Stay still if you see a yellow jacket, as sudden movements or swatting can aggravate it
Avoid eating foods outdoors that attract yellow jackets, including meats, fruits, and sweetened drinks like sodas
Stay alert for yellow jacket nests, particularly near areas like eaves, attacks, hollow logs and tree stumps, and cement slabs or cracks
Avoid garbage cans, recycling bins, and dumpsters where yellow jackets may be foraging for food sources
Complications
While most yellow jacket stings cause only mild, localized reactions, there are potential complications. These include:
Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction): People with allergies to insect venom can develop a severe reaction that can cause difficulty breathing, facial swelling, nausea and vomiting, and increasingly severe symptoms that can become life-threatening.
Infection: Scratching the sting site can break open your skin and increase the risk of a bacterial infection. Watch for symptoms such as increased redness, swelling, and fever.
Serum sickness: A rare complication that can occur days after a yellow jacket sting, causing flu-like symptoms.
A Quick Review
Yellow jacket stings are a common summertime occurrence. When a yellow jacket stings you, the stinger injects venom, causing pain, swelling, and itching at the sting site. Fortunately, most reactions are mild and treatable with home remedies like ice therapy, OTC topical anti-itch creams, and pain relievers.
People who experience multiple stings or have an allergy to yellow jacket venom can develop an allergic reaction in response to a sting, developing symptoms like hives, difficulty breathing, facial swelling, nausea, and vomiting.
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any allergic reaction symptoms, no matter how mild they seem. Symptoms can rapidly worsen and quickly become life-threatening without treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do if you get stung by a yellow jacket?
If you get stung by a yellow jacket, immediately clean the sting site with soap and water. Apply ice to reduce swelling and pain.
If you experience signs of an allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swelling beyond the sting site, use an EpiPen (if available) and seek immediate medical attention.
How poisonous is a yellow jacket sting?
A yellow jacket sting contains venom that causes pain, swelling, and redness at the sting site. For most people, the venom causes mild reactions like pain and itching.
People with allergies to wasp venom or those who experience multiple stings at once can experience a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction to the venom and require immediate medical treatment.
How many times can a yellow jacket sting you?
A yellow jacket can sting multiple times because, unlike bees, its stinger does not have barbs and does not detach after stinging. Yellow jackets can sting repeatedly when they feel threatened. Aggravating a yellow jacket can result in multiple stings, or disturbing a nest can lead to numerous stings from a swarm of yellow jackets.
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