Allergy shots may help. They're about 97% effective. Allergy shots for insect stings put tiny amounts of the allergen (you may hear it called insect venom) into your body over time. Your body gets used to the allergen, and if you get stung again, you won’t have such a bad reaction.

Your doctor will first test you to find out what insects you’re allergic to. Then you’ll typically get the shots once or twice a week. The dose will go up slightly over time until you reach a maintenance dose, usually in about 3 to 6 months.

For most people, allergy shots are safe. You may have side effects like redness and warmth at the injection site. You could also have a mild to serious allergic reaction to the shot itself. They may be riskier for people who have heart or lung disease or who take certain medications.