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Allergy Treatments for Bee Stings

“More people die from severe allergic reactions to bee stings each year than from snake bites,” according to Penn State University. A person who is allergic to bee stings can suffer from life-threatening conditions and should be aware of the potential danger of getting stung by a bee. A person that is highly allergic to bee stings should be ready to self-treat in the event of a bee sting. The most common and effective treatments are to inject the body with an EpiPen, take antihistamine tablets and undergo bee sting allergy shots.

  1. EpiPen

    • In the rare case of a bee sting sending a person into anaphylactic shock, the most effective treatment is an EpiPen. An EpiPen is carries a strong medication that can be self-injected into the thigh of the person experiencing anaphylactic shock. As soon as the person realizes that he has been stung by a bee, he should take the EpiPen, break the seal, allowing the needle to appear, and quickly inject the medication into the thigh. The symptoms will be alleviated almost immediately but could last for up to 15 minutes, according to epipen.com. After injecting the medication, the person should call 911 immediately to get medical professionals on the scene as soon as possible.

    Antihistamine Pills

    • A person who is only slightly allergic to a bee sting and will not experience life-threatening reactions should self-medicate with an antihistamine pill. One of the strongest and most effective antihistamines that you can purchase over-the-counter is diphenhydramine, commonly sold under the brand name Benadryl. A person who is stung by a bee and is moderately allergic should carry diphenhydramine with him or her in case of a bee sting. Take 50mg of diphenhydramine to quickly alleviate the symptoms of the allergic reaction, according to the Rx List. The medication should take effect within 15 minutes and will last for up to 4 hours at which time you may want to take another 50mg.

    Allergy Shots

    • Consult with an allergist if you feel like allergy shots are an option for treating a bee sting allergy. Allergy shots work in the same way as immunizations. A person receives a small amount of the allergen over a long period of time, causing the body to build up a resistance to the allergen. The amount of the allergen is slowly increased to the point where the individual’s body begins to respond normally to the bee sting venom. Only a licensed allergist should administer these shots.

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