Allergy to bees is one of the most dangerous for human life. Imagine that in the United States of America alone, about fifty people die from such an allergic reaction a year. Therefore, it will be useful for everyone to know about the main signs, about the danger of the disease, the specifics of treatment, and preventive measures. So, perhaps, we will begin acquaintance with an allergy to bees.
Allergy to bees: symptoms
Every year the beekeeping develops, more and more people begin to engage in beekeeping. For this reason, there is an increase in the population suffering from allergies to the bites of these insects. It is worth noting that an allergy to bee venom can develop at any age, but in most cases it is the younger generation that worries the disease.
Usually our body begins to react to a bee sting with swelling, moderate redness. These symptoms usually resolve within a few hours. But if we talk about such an ailment as an allergy to a bee sting, after removing the sting around the inflamed area, a pronounced reaction occurs. The main symptoms include redness, which spreads very quickly over the surface of the skin, forming large inflamed areas.
In addition, an allergy to a bee sting is manifested by severe itching, swelling, which increases within one or two days, can disturb the patient for more than a week. The general well-being of the patient is significantly deteriorating. This is especially pronounced due to such signs as malaise, headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, fainting. Allergy complications are rare. For example, any infection or inflammation of the subcutaneous fat may occur. A very life-threatening, extremely rare manifestation of an allergic reaction to a bee sting is anaphylactic shock.
Causes of the appearance, development of allergies
Bee venom consists of components that can become factors provoking the instant occurrence of allergies. Therefore, after penetration into the human blood, the poison contributes to an instant response of the immune system in the form of negative allergic symptoms. Let's look at the constituent components of bee venom. It includes:
- amino acids;
- histamine;
- norepinephrine;
- melanin;
- acids: orthophosphoric, hydrochloric, formic;
- acetylcholine.
You need to know that after a bee sting, you need to pull out the sting as soon as possible. Otherwise, the signs of allergies will manifest themselves more and more.
Bee sting: harm to humans
If a bee bites only once, this is usually fraught with only local signs. The bite is always accompanied by burning pain, swelling, hyperemia of the skin. The most difficult consequences often appear as a result of a bite to the head. When the bee stings directly into the eye, severe swelling prevents it from closing normally. Of course, the bite site hurts very much, provokes tearing. In addition, the development of some complications is not excluded. This may be conjunctivitis or an inflammatory process in the eyelid, mucous membranes of the eye.
If a bee has bitten into the oral mucosa or lips, the main symptom of the disease will be difficulty breathing against the background of local edema. Most often, such cases occur due to the fact that the bee got into, for example, jam, and the person simply did not notice this, he used the product along with the bee in it.
With particular difficulty, this disease is tolerated by young children, pregnant women.
During the period of bearing a baby, it is quite difficult to provide women with medical care, since most of the drugs are contraindicated for use. With regards to children, they are usually more susceptible to such phenomena. This must be remembered.
Bee venom: useful properties
Not everyone knows that a bee sting can be not only harmful, but also useful. To date, such a direction of traditional medicine as apitherapy is very developed. It is worth noting that it helps to recover from many different ailments. So, consider what is the benefit of a bee sting. All components contained in the poison, provoking the occurrence of negative symptoms, can have a therapeutic effect. The bee sting helps:
- lowering blood pressure;
- suppression of the number of harmful microorganisms;
- reduction of the inflammatory process;
- stimulation of the immune system;
- improvement of the work of the heart, hormonal and enzyme systems.
In addition, bee venom improves metabolism, has a positive effect on the central and peripheral nervous system, and has an antispasmodic, analgesic effect.
Severity
Usually, at the first degree, the reaction to the allergen is observed on the skin of a person. The second degree is characterized by an aggravation of the situation, since the internal organs of the patient are involved in this process. The very last, that is, the third stage, can be fatal. The reason for everything is anaphylactic shock, which occurs almost immediately after a bite. The person's condition will be very difficult, he will have to endure extremely life-threatening manifestations of an allergic reaction.
Prevention
All those who are allergic to bee venom provokes anaphylactic reactions, you need to follow the simplest preventive measures in order to avoid various negative consequences that can lead to death.
People who have suffered a toxic reaction of the body to the simultaneous penetration of an excessive amount of poison after repeated bee stings should also think about prevention, because in such situations, anaphylactic shock is very often the result of all subsequent contact with allergens, that is, with bees. So, let's look at the basic precautions that will help maintain health, prevent a bee sting, the development of allergies, and other negative consequences. During the entire time spent in nature, everyone who is at risk is recommended:
- Always be in shoes, do not take them off.
- Do not use any hair sprays, perfumes, and other various cosmetic products that have fragrant fragrances, since all this
- lures insects, increases the likelihood of a bite.
- Purchase, carry with you insecticidal aerosols.
- Install mosquito nets on windows.
- Wear gloves for all garden work.
- Be extremely careful while preparing, eating food in the fresh air.
- A bee can easily get tangled in the hair, then sting a person. It is recommended to wear a headgear to avoid her bite to the head.
- Do not stay close to garbage cans, do not be in a polluted area, since food remains serve as bait for a wide variety of insects, including bees.
If the patient has previously experienced attacks of anaphylactic shock due to bee stings, you should always have a special anti-shock kit with you. It consists of antihistamines, as well as an ampoule of adrenaline. The patient is recommended to have four sets. One should always be at home, the second - at work, the third - with him, the fourth - in the car.
Treatment
When a bee stings, first you need to provide first aid. It consists in extracting the sting that the insect left at the bite site. It is important not to forget that when carrying out such procedures, all the conditions of antiseptics are observed. Treat the affected area with an antiseptic. After that, make a cold compress, apply it for three to four hours. If a person is concerned about an allergy to bees, an ambulance will be called, which will take other measures to prevent the occurrence of negative symptoms, all kinds of complications.
Modern, effective drugs that are used as emergency therapy - Diazolin, Erius, Pipolfenone. Allergy sufferers should always have one of these drugs with them. For local therapy, special glucocorticosteroid ointments are usually prescribed. For example, Prednisolone ointment, Hydrocortisone ointment. To eliminate the symptoms of such an allergy, doctors prescribe a circular blockade with Novocaine (0.5%). In the presence of severe swelling, intoxication, the doctor may prescribe a formed diuresis to the patient.
Ascorbic acid, calcium gluconate, which are administered intravenously, help get rid of edema. Further treatment of the patient is carried out in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor. In case of complications, a short course of hormonal drugs is prescribed.
