Allergic Reactions in Alanya: Stings, Food and Medicines
Most allergic reactions are limited to the skin and settle with an antihistamine. A reaction involving breathing difficulty, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a tight chest, dizziness or collapse is anaphylaxis: use an adrenaline auto-injector if one is available and call 112 immediately.
What it is
On this coast the common triggers are wasp and bee stings, jellyfish, mosquito bites, unfamiliar food — particularly seafood and nuts — and medicines, including antibiotics bought over the counter.
A mild reaction stays in one place, or affects the skin only: redness, swelling, itching, hives. A severe reaction involves two or more body systems, or affects breathing or blood pressure. That is anaphylaxis, it can develop within minutes, and it is treated with adrenaline — not with antihistamines.
Symptoms
- Itchy raised rash or hives, anywhere on the body
- Swelling of the skin, particularly around the eyes and lips
- Sneezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes
- Nausea, cramping, vomiting or diarrhoea after a trigger food
- Warning signs of anaphylaxis: swelling of the tongue or throat, a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing or swallowing, wheeze, tight chest, dizziness, collapse, a feeling of impending doom
Clinic hours: 09:00–19:00, seven days a week
House calls: 24/7
What to do
Severe reaction — anaphylaxis
- Use the adrenaline auto-injector immediately, into the outer thigh, if one is available. Do not wait to see whether it gets worse.
- Call 112.
- Lie the person flat with the legs raised. If they are struggling to breathe, let them sit up. If they are vomiting or unconscious but breathing, put them on their side.
- If there is no improvement after five minutes and a second injector is available, use it.
- Anyone who has had anaphylaxis must go to hospital, even if they improve — symptoms can return hours later.
Mild reaction
- Remove the trigger where you can: scrape a bee sting out sideways rather than squeezing it.
- An oral antihistamine.
- A cold compress for the swelling and itching.
- Watch for an hour. If the breathing, voice or swallowing changes, treat it as anaphylaxis.
When to call a doctor
- Any breathing difficulty, wheeze, hoarseness or throat tightness — call 112
- Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat — call 112
- Dizziness, fainting or collapse after a sting, food or medicine — call 112
- A rash spreading rapidly over the whole body
- A reaction after starting a new medicine
- Blistering or peeling of the skin, or sores in the mouth or eyes — this is an emergency
- A sting inside the mouth or throat
- Symptoms not settling with an antihistamine
112 is the emergency number in Turkey — free from any phone, answered in English.
Prevention
How to avoid it
- Carry your adrenaline auto-injector and know how to use it — two, if you have them
- Keep food and sugary drinks covered outdoors; wasps are attracted to open cans
- Ask what is in the dish if you have a food allergy, and carry a written translation of it
- Tell any doctor treating you about drug allergies before treatment, not after
What we do
Getting seen in Alanya
Oguzhan Care sees this at the clinic in Oba and on house calls to hotels and apartments across Alanya, 24 hours a day. The doctor examines you, treats what can be treated on the spot, and writes the report your insurer will want.
FAQ
Allergic Reactions: common questions
Usually within minutes to two hours of the trigger. Reactions beginning later are usually milder, but a delayed reaction is still possible.
No. They help the skin symptoms only. Adrenaline is the only treatment for anaphylaxis and it must be given without delay.
Availability varies and it requires a prescription. If you are prescribed one at home, bring it with you — do not rely on being able to buy one here.
Rinse with sea water, not fresh water, remove tentacles carefully without bare hands, and apply heat — hot water at about 45 °C for 20 minutes — which is more effective than ice for Mediterranean species. Seek help for large stings, stings to the face, or any breathing difficulty.
Read next
Related pages
Medical disclaimer. This page is general health information, not a diagnosis and not a substitute for a consultation. If someone is unconscious, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily or having chest pain, call 112 — the Turkish emergency number — immediately.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Oğuzhan Özkan, physician, Alanya. Last reviewed: 11 August 2026.
Feeling ill in Alanya right now?
A doctor can be at your hotel within the hour. Call or message — we answer 24/7.