Allergies To Bees

Individuals who are highly sensitive to the venom in bee stings may experience reactions from mild to life threatening. More people die from bee stings annually than from snake bites. The body's reaction to bee stings is to produce antibodies. The antibodies will damage cells causing the symptoms associated with allergic reactions.

Localized Reactions

• Redness and itching are early reactions to bee stings.

  Local reactions are typically characterized by, pain, swelling, redness, and itching. A systemic reaction is considered allergic or life-threatening.

Symptoms

• A dry cough, itching and swelling around the eye area, hives, wheezing and sneezing are typically the first symptoms. Sudden anxiety, tightness in chest, breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, loss of consciousness and shock are symptoms of anaphylactic shock which happen rather quickly, and can result in death.

Diagnosis

• After being stung by a bee the reactions to the specific symptoms are used to determine bee sting allergies.

Ways to Avoid

• Bees are attracted to brightly colored clothing. Do not wear flowery smelling lotions, perfumes, and soaps. Do not agitate any bees near you by waving your arms or swatting at them. Have any bees' nest around your home removed. Be careful as bees may enter open soda cans or straws in sweet drinks.

Treatment

• An epinephrine injection is used to treat anaphylactic shock and is sometimes used in combination with an antihistamine injection. Individuals known to have severe allergies to bee stings should always carry a self-injection kit which includes antihistamine tablets. Severely allergic people should consider a desensitization program-a series of the bee venom injections. The amount of bee venom in each dose is increased until the body shows that it can be tolerated. It is important for the injections to be given by a trained specialist. It usually takes up to 20 weeks to develop an immunity, and that initial treatment is followed by monthly booster shots.