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Allergic Reactions to Beestings |
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Allergic Reactions to Beestings Allergies
by Edward F. Group III, D.C., Ph.D, N.D.,CCN In the United States, no matter what state you live in, you will get stung by a bee, if you have not gotten stung yet. If you did get stung you know how unpleasant an experience it can be. It is painful leaving redness and swelling as a reminder of its aftermath, although the damage is only temporary. Rarely does anyone die from a bee sting unless they are severely allergic. Only one out of 1,000 people suffer from allergic or hypersensitivity to bee or wasp stings. Bees that sting include wasps, honeybees, and hornets. The stinger is a modified egg-laying apparatus, so only females can sting. Most bees live solitary lives and their behavior is more likely to be flight than fight. Most bees including yellow jackets, honeybees, and bumble bees have classified certain bees in the colony to perform only one task - defend the nest. If the nest is disturbed, these bees will defend it vigorously. Also, other bees will sting if they are disturbed or injured as they go about their assigned duties or activities. But there are those who are more aggressive and will attack. The yellow jacket is an example of such a bee. Then there is the Africanized honeybee. Unfortunately Hollywood hyped up this bee as being deadly. That's just not so. When they sting, it is just as painful as regular domestic bee stings do. The only deaths that have occurred are those who could not get away from the swarm when they attacked. The Africanized honeybee is closely related to the European honeybee, which is used in agriculture for crop pollination and honey production. The two types of bees are identical in appearance and have the same basic behavior. Neither is likely to sting when gathering nectar and pollen from flowers, but will sting in defense if provoked. An individual Africanized and European honeybee can sting only once and has the same venom. However, Africanized honeybees are less predictable and more defensive than European honeybees. They are more likely to defend a greater area around their nest, and they respond faster and in greater numbers than the European honeybee. When it comes to bees, they attack by their stingers. These are effective weapons because they deliver venom that causes pain when injected into the skin. This pain is caused by chemicals found in the venom that is released into the body. The major chemical is called melittin; it stimulates the nerve endings of pain receptors in the skin. The result is a very painful sensation, which begins as a sharp pain that lasts a few minutes and then becomes a dull ache. Even up to a few days later, the tissue may still be sensitive to the touch. When the sting takes place, the body responds by sending fluid from the blood to flush the venom from the area. This causes redness and swelling at the sting site. If this is the first time the person has been stung by the honeybee, the immune system will recognize the venom and enhance disposal of it. This can lead to very large swelling around the sting site or in a whole portion of the body. The area is quite likely to itch. Try not to rub or scratch the sting site, because microbes from the surface of the skin could be introduced into the wound and result in an infection. When the sting is caused by a honeybee, the stinger usually remains in the skin when the insect leaves because the stinger is barbed. Remove the stinger as quickly as possible because venom continues to enter the skin from the stinger for 45 to 60 seconds following a sting. The best way to remove the stinger is by scrapping it out with the fingernail. This prevents more venom from entering through the skin. If removed within 15 seconds of the sting, the severity of the sting is reduced. Bee Stings and Allergic Reactions It is estimated that between one and two million people in the United States are severely allergic to bee stings. Each year 90 to 100 deaths from reactions to bee stings are reported, but many more deaths go unreported because of misdiagnosis. Most people suffer the worst reactions to bees including wasps, hornets, bumble bees, and honeybees. Unlike most other allergies, allergies to bee stings can be life-threatening, even to the point of anaphylactic shock. Other life-threatening reactions could be shock, dizziness, unconsciousness, difficulty in breathing, and laryngeal blockage resulting from swelling in the throat. There are also non-life-threatening allergies that can develop from bee stings. These reactions can develop anywhere on the body and can include hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and headaches. Symptoms can begin immediately following the sting or up to 30 minutes later and may last for hours. In allergic persons, the venom combines with antibodies that are associated with mast cells resting on vital organs. The mast cells release histamine and other biologically active substances. This results in fluid leaking out of the blood and into the body tissues. Eventually, fluid builds up in the lungs. Then blood pressure drops. If this response is not reversed within a short time, the patient may die of anaphylactic shock. Allergic reactions can be reversed by the effects of epinephrine injected into the body. Individuals who know they are allergic to bee stings should carry a sting kit equipped with epinephrine, or an auto-injector (Epi-Pen), anytime they have to be near bees. There are also occasions when a person could get stung repeatedly before being able to escape from the scene of the nesting site. Depending on the number of stings, the person may just hurt a lot, feel a little sick, or feel very sick. Humans can be killed if stung enough times in a single incident. With honeybees the toxic dose (LD 50) of the venom is estimated to be 8.6 stings per pound of body weight. Obviously, children are at a greater risk than adults. In fact, an otherwise healthy adult would have to be stung over 1,000 times to be in risk of death. Most deaths caused by multiple stings have occurred in men in their 70s or 80s who were known to have poor cardiopulmonary functioning.
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