Answer:

Sam has been stung by bees. (Quite a few members pointed out that it would be helpful to be clear as to whether or not the "bees" were, say, honey bees, or actually hornets. The latter insect tends to cause a more severe reaction.) Sam's reaction to the stings was certainly more dramatic than usual for him. Is this because of the type of insect? The number of stings? Or could he be developing a more severe reaction due to an acquired allergy? These are important questions since we don't want Sam to get an "anaphylactic reaction."

Anaphylaxis is basically a severe allergic reaction, a reaction that can be caused by many things, not just bee stings. You get symptoms such as the appearance of hives, swelling of the tongue, difficulty breathing due to constriction of the bronchial tubes, a loss of blood pressure, and in rare cases even death. In other words, your whole body (not just the area that was stung) is reacting to the bee's venom.

Immediate treatment is required and consists of giving adrenaline and anti-histamines intravenously. If it is not anaphylaxis, and the reaction is just localized to his hand and arm, it may be painful and uncomfortable for a few days, but it will not be life threatening

Fortunately, true anaphylaxis is much less common than a dramatic localized reaction like Sam had. People disagreed on whether or not his reaction was severe, and whether or not it represented early signs of anaphylaxis. But as one member wrote, "Since Sam had reportedly been stung before, apparently without serious allergic reaction, he has a reasonable expectation (not an absolute one) that no special sensitivity exists." I think that's right. Sam would likely have had shortness of breath or swelling of the tongue by now if he was going to develop anaphylaxis. These symptoms usually occur within minutes. Nonetheless, his reaction is out of the ordinary, so it would be wise to get to the emergency room for further evaluation.

Once you've had an anaphylactic reaction, whether it be to a sting, a chemical, or a medication, you should always have available an adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) kit so that you or a friend can self-administer the shot. It sounds scary to many people but is actually easy to do. This is true even if the anaphylaxis was relatively mild, as the next attack may not be.

By the way, sometimes a stinger with its attached venomous sac may be found at the site. This should be removed as soon as possible in order to prevent further venom from getting into the skin. The best way is with a knife, long fingernails, or other flat object. Scrape it along the skin, catch and pull out the stinger, and avoid squeezing the sac.