Insect Sting Allergy
Allergy shots for insect stings, also called venom immunotherapy, are the most effective known treatment to prevent allergic reactions to stings from honeybees, yellow jackets, hornets, paper wasps, and fire ants. Venom immunotherapy is offered to all patients who have had anaphylaxis following a sting and to adults who have had acute hives after a [...]
For an allergic patient, there are a number of ways to prevent future insect stings. Suggestions include: Avoid using perfumes, scented soaps, and other sweet or pungent body products. Avoid wearing bright colors that might attract bees. Stay away from blooming flowers when you are out-doors. Avoid eating sweet foods while your are outdoors. Consider [...]
What Should I Do The Next Time I Am Stung? If bees are flying around you after the sting, always stay calm and avoid swatting at them; this will encourage additional stings. After the sting, you should quickly leave the area. When a bee stings, it releases a chemical that attracts other bees that may [...]
The first step in establishing whether a patient is allergic to insect stings is a detailed history. Once the type of insect and severity of the reaction have been characterized, allergy skin testing may be performed to confirm whether or not the patient is allergic to any of the stinging insects. All people, regardless of [...]
It is often very difficult to determine the source of a sting. This is why it is recommended that patients who have experienced an allergic reaction to an insect sting undergo testing to a complete panel of stinging insects. Despite this difficulty, there are some clues that will help a victim of a sting determine [...]
Several insects belonging to order Hymenoptera are capable of injecting venom into humans and animals by stinging or biting. These insects include honeybees, bumblebees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, and fire ants, all of which are currently found in the United States as well as in most other land areas of the globe. Their venom, which [...]