What Does it Mean to Be Allergic to Bees?

Not everyone is allergic to bee stings, but those that are have to remain vigilant around the insects. Those allergic can suffer varying degrees of severity and some people can die quickly once stung if they don't receive medical attention right away. Bee stings kill quite a number of people each year. If someone is allergic to bees, it means their body produces antibodies to the allergen in the venom. The antibodies react by producing chemicals and histamines that can cause membranes, glands and other cells to swell. In severe cases, the throat membranes can swell, preventing the victim from breathing.

Many people don't even know they are allergic until they are stung. Usually the first sting isn't even that bad, unless the person is highly sensitive and allergic. But the more the person gets stung, the stronger the reaction. A person won't become immune if they are stung multiple times, instead, they symptoms will get worse due to the build up of antibodies. Anaphylactic shock is when the person has trouble breathing and begins wheezing. They will eventually pass out due to a lack of oxygen and will ultimately go into shock. In the worst cases, this can happen in just a couple of minutes after the sting. Treatment includes an injection of epinephrine and maybe an antihistamine to counteract the histamine that was released by the antibodies.

For people already diagnosed with having a bee sting allergy, self injection kits containing epinephrine are available from their physician. Some allergic people have had success building up a tolerance to the bee venom by receiving initial small doses of venom and then larger doses over several months. Then booster injections will still be required. If successful, the symptoms will be reduced so that if they are stung it won't be lethal.

Most allergic people can follow some simple steps to avoid being stung. Keeping the yard free from flowers and flowering trees will reduce the incidence of bees around the house. They should not wear any sweet perfumes or wear bright colored clothing. Anything that might attract bees should be avoided altogether. If a person is allergic to bee stings, they are likely also allergic to wasps, hornets and other stinging insects. Therefore, any wasp nests or bee hives should be destroyed immediately. Spring and summertime are the most common times for insects to be out and about, which means allergic people need to be especially cautious when out in the yard or on a picnic. When stung, the stinger should be scraped out right away, not plucked out with tweezers, as the pinchers could squeeze the venom sac and release a large burst of venom. While bees might be a potential life threatening insect to some people, they are still very important insects and should not be killed unless absolutely necessary.