What Is Bee Sting Poisoning and Who Is At Risk?
Bee Sting Poisoning is a severe reaction of the body of an individual when one is bitten by a honeybee. Whenever an individual has a bee sting then some venom is discharged from the stinger of the honeybee, which causes a variety of symptoms like pain, swelling, and redness. Normally, these symptoms are not serious and not a cause for concern. However, there are some cases where an individual is allergic to the venom of the honeybee. This results in what is called as bee sting poisoning. This is an emergent medical condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Individuals who are at risk for having bee sting poisoning are people, who live in areas near active beehives, live in areas where bees are seen in huge numbers around plants, people who spend a lot of time outside in and around beehives, individuals who have had an allergic reaction to bee sting previously. The million dollar question is how to know whether we are allergic to bee stings.
How Can You Tell If You Are Allergic To Bee Stings?
It should be noted that a reaction that one has to bee stings may not always be allergic. It is important to note that there are basically three types of reactions to a bee sting namely normal reaction, localized reaction, and allergic reaction. Many people perceive a normal or a localized reaction as an allergic reaction, but the fact is that it is very rare for an individual to have an allergic reaction to bee sting.
A normal reaction to a bee sting consists of pain, swelling, and erythema around the site of the sting. In cases of a localized reaction to a bee sting the individual will have swelling and redness, which will spread beyond the actual site of the sting. In some cases, if an individual is bitten by a honeybee in the finger then the while hand may swell. This is what is called as a localized reaction to a bee sting. Many individuals perceive this to be a symptom of an allergic reaction to bee sting which in realty is not.
An allergic reaction to a bee sting is actually far worse and serious, and may be potentially life threatening. An allergic reaction to bee sting requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to bee sting includes problems with breathing after a bee sting, development of a rash or hives extending well beyond the actual site of sting, swelling of the face, mouth, or throat, sudden drop in blood pressure, and last but not least anaphylactic shock.
If prompt treatment is not given, then it may lead to unconsciousness or even cardiac arrest. If an individual has the above mentioned symptoms, then it is proved beyond doubt that the individual is allergic to bee sting. For such individuals, it is highly recommended that they carry epinephrine with them in case of a bee sting, which they can take to calm down the symptoms of an allergic reaction to bee sting.
Also Read:
