Spending time outdoors increases your risk of getting stung by a bee. While many people are stung each year, those with a bee sting allergy can have serious complications. The team of allergy, asthma, and immunology experts at Suburban Allergy Consultants offers on-site testing services for bee sting allergies at their offices in Havertown, Narberth, West Chester, West Grove, and Coatesville, Pennsylvania. They also provide emergency treatment plans to prevent anaphylactic complications. Schedule an appointment with Corinna Bowser MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI, or Andrew Murphy MD, FAAAAI, by calling the office nearest you or requesting an appointment online.
When a bee stings you, they inject a barbed stinger that breaks the surface of your skin. This stinger contains venom that has proteins that affect surrounding tissue and triggers your immune system to respond to the injury.
For many people, the sting of a bee is uncomfortable but harmless. However, if you have an allergy to the venom of a bee sting, you can experience a variety of symptoms, including a life-threatening reaction.
The sting of a bee can cause a reaction, such as:
If you have a life-threatening reaction to a bee sting, known as anaphylaxis, one or more bee stings can cause sudden inflammation in your throat and tongue that makes it difficult to breathe. Without immediate medical treatment, you can lose consciousness and suffer serious health complications.
The team at Suburban Allergy Consultants offer on-site skin testing to determine if you have a bee sting allergy and to evaluate how severe your allergic reaction is.
During a skin test, your provider injects a small amount of bee venom into your skin, usually on your upper arm or back. If you develop a raised bump on your skin following the injection, it’s an indication that you have an allergy.
Your Suburban Allergy Consultants provider may also request blood testing to evaluate the number of antibodies your immune system produces when exposed to bee venom.
When you have a bee sting allergy, your Suburban Allergy Consultants provider creates a treatment plan that focuses on both avoiding bee stings and what you need to do in the event of a sting.
If you have an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting, your doctor can prescribe an injectable epinephrine medication that quickly reverses the inflammation in your airways to help you breathe. You still need to seek emergency medical care at the nearest hospital or by calling 911 to prevent health complications following a bee sting.
You may also be a candidate for treatment with immunotherapy. This involves exposing your body to very small amounts of bee venom over time to reduce the severity of your body’s reaction to the allergen.
If you suspect you have a bee sting allergy, call Suburban Allergy Consultants today to schedule skin testing. Alternatively, you can request an appointment online at any time.
