Bee Sting Symptoms And Causes

People who are allergic to bee stings often do not want to spend time outdoors on warm days. And those who have never been hurt by a bee sting, fear that they might get stung. For many people, bee stings give them short-term ache and irritation. Mostly, bee stings are simply annoying, and you can easily treat them at home. But before all of that, you need to understand things that would help you identify bee sting effects.

Symptoms of Bee Stings

Different bees can produce different symptoms for different people. It might range from temporary discomfort to a serious allergic reaction. But it also doesn't mean your body will react the same way every time a bee stings you. Nor the severity of the reaction is bound to be the same. You can categorize the reaction and symptoms in 3 ways, mild, moderate, and severe.

●       Mild Reaction – The symptoms are usually small and consist of reactions like instant and sharp pain, red mark, and little swelling. Generally, the pain goes away in a couple of hours.

●       Moderate Reaction – This is a slightly stronger reaction than the mild ones. You could see severe redness, swelling lasting for at least a day or two. It might take 5 to 10 days for the sting to heal. If you feel that things are getting out of hand, contact a doctor.

●       Severe Reaction – In some cases, a bee sting can lead to anaphylaxis. It can be a life-threatening situation and needs emergency treatment. Only a few people stung by a bee develop anaphylaxis. The symptoms include skin reactions, labored breathing, uneven pulse, swelling in the throat, diarrhea, fainting, etc. For anaphylaxis, talk to your doctor.

If you have been stung by more than a few honeybees, it might result in a toxic reaction. You might begin to feel nauseating, headache, dizziness, tremors, high temperature, and more.

Causes

Bee wounds you with a barbed stinger into your skin. It releases certain proteins into your body that distress skin cells and immune system. It causes pain and swelling around the stung area. If you are allergic to a bee sting, the venom produced can activate a more-serious reaction.

There are many other factors that can result in bees stinging you. Risk factors such as:

●       Bees are active in the area where you live.

●       You like spending time outdoors and near beehives.

●       If you are allergic to bee stings.

●       At times, adults can have more serious reactions resulting in anaphylaxis as compared to children.

Prevention is Better than Cure

If you are living somewhere with high chances of getting stung by the bees, take precautionary steps.

●       Check your beverages before drinking

●       Keep your food containers covered.

●       Clear the garbage and keep a lid on trash cans.

●       When walking outside, wear the shoes that will cover your foot.

●       Avoid bright colored clothes as they might attract bees.

●       Be alert when working in your lawn.

●       If you have a beehive in or around your home, have it removed by a professional.

●       If bees are around you, stay calm and try to get out of there quietly. Don't try to swipe the bee.