Spring season, which is starting to make itself felt, makes most of us happy. However, for allergy sufferers, bees hovering around the colorful blooms in spring can cause serious life-threatening problems.
Bee allergy can cause life-threatening allergic reactions, such as allergic shock (anaphylactic shock). After the bee sting, reactions such as swelling and redness in the arm develop due to many chemicals found in it, while allergic reactions such as itching, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting may develop in the body due to some allergens they contain.
In our country, the risk of serious widespread reaction due to bee sting was determined as 2.2%. Some of them result in death due to bee allergy.
Bees are generally divided into honey bees and wild bees. While the honey bee has a sting where it stings, other wild bees do not have a sting at the sting. Separating bees in this way is important in the treatment of bee allergy.
Bee allergy is a treatable allergy by allergists. Therefore, it must be seen and evaluated by allergy specialists.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BEE ALLERGY IN ADULTS?
In addition to pollen allergies, there is an increase in bee allergies with the spring months. Complaints due to bee stings are more common, especially in the spring months when bees are roaming around.
Many people living in cities may not have intense contact with bees. It takes several stings to develop allergic sensitivity due to wasp stings, and sometimes it can occur after a single sting.
In contrast, bee allergy is mostly seen in people who are frequently stung by bees. Almost most of the patients who are allergic to bees originate from the beekeepers or their families, sometimes it can occur in their close neighbors.
What are the symptoms of a bee sting?
– Pain
– Redness
– Swelling (in the sting area and sometimes in the whole area)
– Burning
– Urticaria (Hives) ) and Angioedema
-Itching
-Allergic shock (Anaphylaxis )
Apart from these, far less frequently serum sickness, neuropathy, encephalitis, glomerulonephritis, myocarditis, guillain barre syndrome can be seen. .
Symptoms due to bee allergy stings are usually local (regional) or systemic.
Depending on the bee sting, intense pain, redness and often swelling in a small area (up to 1-2 cm in diameter) can be seen at the sting site. Due to local reactions, edema occurs at the sting site. Such swellings appear within a few hours and gradually vary in size, sometimes affecting one hand or the entire arm. Sometimes, swelling in the form of bubbles may occur at the inserted place, and then an infection may develop in this area. Such swellings are not life-threatening unless the airway is affected unless it is inserted through the head and neck region.
Common systemic reactions due to bee stings also develop outside the bee sting. The severity of systemic reactions is highly variable. Early symptoms are seen as redness and itching, followed by urticaria and angioedema. Patients who develop more severe systemic reactions experience symptoms that can be fatal. Along with the feeling of being sick, laryngeal edema and shortness of breath due to asthma often occur. In addition, severe reactions may result in hypotension causing dizziness, fainting or unconsciousness. In addition, abdominal pain, urinary incontinence, chest pain or visual disturbances may occur.
The clinical picture varies from person to person. Symptoms such as redness, urticaria and angioedema that occur after a bee sting in some of the patients may start suddenly and unfortunately may cause unconsciousness within a few minutes. In some patients, systemic reactions may begin 10 minutes after exposure and it may be time for the patient to go to the emergency room.
What should we do when a bee stings?
Reactions due to bee stings can be seen in the form of swelling and redness in the arm, or sometimes as an allergic shock that causes shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting.
One of the most important points for treatment after a bee sting is to determine the type of bee. The distinction between honey bees and wild bees is very important.
Most people do not remember the bee when stung by a bee. When the honey bee stings, it leaves the sting with the venom sac on the skin and then dies. Therefore, if the bee has a sac where it stings, it indicates that it was stung by the honey bee. Since it will take 2-3 minutes for the poison in the venom sac to drain completely, the sac must be removed from the skin as soon as possible and the needle must be removed. It is more convenient to remove the needle by scraping it from the side with a fingernail. Removing the venom sac by pressing it from the sides will cause more venom to enter, so care should be taken.
If the bee does not have a pouch where it stings, it was probably stung by a wild bee. Yellow bee, hornet and wasp can sting many times because they do not lose their stings when they sting.
When stung by bees, it would be appropriate to clean the stinged area with clean water and apply a cold compress instead of applying some things (such as mud, soil onions). If necessary, it is recommended to use local anesthetic cream, antihistamine tablet, pain reliever tablet for local reactions, to reduce pain and itching, and if necessary, antibiotics can be given if infection is added later.
If systemic reactions develop, they can range from mild to life-threatening. If the patient carries it with him, it is recommended to use an epipen (adrenaline autoinjector).
Bee allergy is a treatable allergy by allergists. Therefore, it must be seen and evaluated by allergy specialists.
WHEN SHOULD ADULTS SEE THE DOCTOR FOR BEE ALLERGY?
Spring season, which makes itself felt, makes most of us happy. However, for allergy sufferers, bees hovering around the colorful blooms in spring can cause serious life-threatening problems.
Symptoms due to bee allergy stings are usually local (regional) or systemic.
Bee allergy can lead to more serious pictures such as anaphylaxis, especially in those who have had other allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema before.
If complaints such as urticaria, angioedema, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting occur due to a bee sting, an allergist should be consulted.
Bee allergy is a treatable allergy by allergists. Therefore, it must be seen and evaluated by allergy specialists.
What should patients with bee allergy do before going to the doctor?
One of the most important points for treatment after a bee sting is to determine the type of bee. The distinction between honey bees and wild bees is very important. Knowing which bee was stung by the patient will guide the diagnosis and treatment.
Before going to the allergist, some drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, cough medicines and some painkillers should be discontinued 1 week before.
Patients who experience anaphylactic shock after a bee sting can be tested at least 6 weeks later. Tests performed more than 6 weeks ago do not give accurate results.
Major local reactions and systemic reactions due to bee allergy should definitely be evaluated by allergy physicians, as they may herald later anaphylactic shock.
HOW DO WE DIAGNOSIS OF BEE ALLERGY IN ADULTS?
In order to diagnose bee allergy, it is necessary to take a good anamnesis describing which complaints occurred and how long after a bee sting
It is necessary to confirm by which bee the complaints of the patient stung by a bee occur by using allergy skin test and blood tests. must be done. It is extremely important to do skin tests if it is thought to start the vaccine treatment for the bee. Since bee allergens are used in allergy skin tests, skin prick tests and intradermal skin tests can be extremely risky. Therefore, allergy skin tests should be performed by allergy physicians.
Alternatively, bee-specific IgE antibodies can be measured in blood. Allergy tests from blood are less likely to diagnose.
Bee allergy is a treatable allergy by allergists. Therefore, it should be seen by allergy specialists and the diagnosis should be made correctly.
HOW IS BEE ALLERGY TREATED IN ADULTS?
Spring season, which makes itself felt, makes most of us happy. However, for allergy sufferers, bees hovering around the colorful blooms in spring can cause serious life-threatening problems.
Treatment of bee allergy consists of 3 steps
Avoid bees, take precautions
If symptoms of anaphylaxis occur, inject epinephrine (adrenaline autoinjector) immediately.
Allergy vaccine ( immunotherapy ).
Treatment of bee allergy consists of 3 steps including prevention against bees, treatment to eliminate urgent complaints and vaccination treatment.
How can we take precautions against bees?
Honey bees are generally not aggressive. Especially honey bees do not sting when they are not provoked, so it is necessary to avoid things that will attract honey bees to us.
Wild bees are more aggressive. Since they can be found on many foods when we are in the same environment, some precautions will help us stay away from bees.
Some precautions against bees
-Do not walk barefoot on the grass and where the bees feed.
-Do not drink from open beverage cans. Bees can get inside the boxes and sting when compressed.
-Keep food covered when eating out.
-Do not use sweet-smelling perfume, hairspray or deodorant.
-Avoid wearing brightly colored clothes with floral patterns.
-Wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, socks, shoes and work gloves when working outside.
-Be cautious near bushes, eaves and attics and watch out for garbage containers and around picnic areas.
-Take care of the bees’ nests and never interfere, get professional support.
What are the drug treatments for bee allergy?
If a bee stings in a bee’s allergy, the sting should be carefully removed.
Local mild skin itching, redness and 1-2 cm swelling usually do not require treatment.
If itching is too much, antihistamine creams can be given for a few days.
Since there may be more redness and swelling in local wide reactions
Cold compress can be applied with ice.
Antihistamines can be given orally or intramuscularly, if there is a lot of pain, painkillers can be given. Oral corticosteroid-containing tablets can be given as a low dose for several days.
Sometimes cellulitis or local infections may develop where the bee stings, and in these cases antibiotics can be given.
It is recommended to start these treatments within 1-2 hours after the bee sting.
Treatment of serious systemic reactions is more important in bee allergy
In bee allergy, after a bee sting, sometimes within minutes, the picture we call allergic shock, which ends with urticaria, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting, may develop all over the body.
Patients at risk of anaphylaxis must have an adrenaline autoinjector with them. Patients with a history of anaphylaxis should be prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector and told how to use it.
If the body itching, redness, shortness of breath, dizziness started within minutes after the bee sting, adrenaline auto-injectors containing adrenaline should be administered immediately by the patient or his/her relatives.
Adrenaline autoinjectors are life-saving for the patient, but since anaphylactic shock can recur within 6 hours, he should definitely go to the hospital or health center with emergency conditions afterwards.
Anaphylactic shock treatment must be done in health centers with appropriate emergency response conditions.
Is allergy vaccine (immunotherapy) necessary in bee allergy?
The most serious life-threatening reaction in bee allergy is anaphylactic shock. Patients who have experienced anaphylactic shock after a bee sting should be seen by an allergist.
Allergy vaccine (immunotherapy) treatment is a treatment approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). The most important treatment in bee allergy is vaccine treatment. It is known that this treatment provides 90-97% complete cure. Vaccine treatment applied in bee allergy is continued for at least 3-5 years.
Anaphylactic shock does not develop when reintroduced with a bee to which it is allergic with vaccine treatment. Therefore, the most important treatment in bee allergy is vaccine treatment. Until the effectiveness of the bee vaccines is seen, it is recommended that the patients carry an adrenaline autoinjector with them until the maintenance treatment.
Bee allergy is a treatable allergy by allergists. Therefore, it must be seen and evaluated by allergy specialists.
