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Lundgren, Linnea, and Jeff Wald. "Allergy Basics." 02 May 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/how-allergies-work.htm> 17 May 2008.
by Linnea Lundgren and Jeff Wald, MD
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Allergic Reactions to Insect Bites and Stings
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Allergic Reactions to Insect Bites and Stings
If you've ever been the target of a bee or yellow jacket, you know there's often more to their sting than the initial pain. The body responds with swelling, redness at the site, and itching. Applying ice and a disinfectant, however, usually helps ease swelling and suffering.For five percent of the population, though, an encounter with a stinger or a bite can be more than uncomfortable -- it can be life threatening because they're allergic to the insect's venom. Symptoms of an allergic reaction range from hives, itching, or swelling throughout the body to tightness and swelling of the throat, breathing difficulty, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, unconsciousness, and cardiac arrest. The reaction generally occurs within minutes of being stung.
If you're allergic (or suspect you're allergic) to stings or bites, be sure to let other people know and be prepared to self-inject epinephrine. Your doctor can provide you with an emergency injector to keep on hand.
Avoiding Bites and Stings
Avoiding yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, bees, and fire ants is better than treating yourself once you're stung or bitten. Here are some simple preventative measures:
- Don't walk barefoot in the grass, which is a favorite nesting and resting ground for stinging insects.
- Stay clear of nests or hives. You're viewed as a big, two-legged threat and will be attacked. Have a professional pest-removal company remove any nests in the vicinity.
- Never place your hands in dark corners, into holes, or underneath objects without looking first.
- Cover food when dining outdoors, and do not drink from an open soda can. Stinging insects love sweet soft drinks as much as you do and sometimes go inside while they're drinking. Always pour your drink into a clear container.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to reduce skin exposure.
- Don't dry your laundry outside. Flying, stinging insects might get caught in the laundry and be brought inside.
- If a stinging, flying insect uses you as a landing pad, don't flail and scream. Remain calm and gently brush off the intruder, then quickly exit the scene.
- Lastly, don't look like a flower. Save your bright, floral shirts for the indoors. And, since we're on the floral theme, avoid smelling like one, too. Perfumes, lotions, and hairspray smell sweet and attract stinging insects.
Over the past few sections of this article, we've talked all about allergies and their sources, causes and solutions. The most important part of fighting allergies is compiling a good working knowledge of what you're battling against. Once you understand that an allergy is nothing but a reaction to an otherwise harmless substance, you can learn how to avoid your allergen or what to do if you should come in contact with it.
Otherwise, follow these steps:
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This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
The brand name products mentioned in this publication are trademarks or service marks of their respective companies. The mention of any product in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the respective proprietors of Publications International, Ltd. or HowStuffWorks.com, nor does it constitute an endorsement by any of these companies that their products should be used in the manner described in this publication.
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Allergic Reactions to Insect Bites and Stings
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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:
Lundgren, Linnea, and Jeff Wald. "Allergy Basics." 02 May 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/how-allergies-work.htm> 17 May 2008.
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Breathing That Sounds Abnormal Broad Nasal Bridge Bulging Fontanelles Bullae Chemosis Chest Pain Chills Clammy Skin Claw Foot Claw Hand Cloudy Cornea Clubbing Of The Fingers Or Toes Cold Intolerance Coloboma Of The Iris Comedones Confusion Constipation Contracture Deformity Coughing Coughing Up Blood Crying Excessively in Infants Cyst Decerebrate Posture Decorticate Posture Decreased Consciousness Decreased Urine Output Delayed Growth Delayed or Absent Tooth Formation Depression Diarrhea Difficulty with Urination Dizziness Drooling Drowsiness Dry Eyes Dry Hair Dry Skin Ear Discharge Earache Earlobe Creases Elbow Pain Epicanthal Folds Erection Problems Erosion Excessive Or Unwanted Hair In Women Excessive Thirst Excessive Urination Excessive Urination at Night Excessively Large Fontanelles Eye Burning, Itching and Discharge Eye Pain Eye Redness Eye Slant Eyelid Drooping Eyes That Bulge Face Pain Facial Paralysis Facial Swelling Fainting Fatigue Female Sexual Dysfunction Fever Finger Pain Fingers That Change Color Flank Pain Floating Stools Focal Neurological Deficits Foot Pain Foot, Leg, And Ankle Swelling Foul Smelling Stools Frequent Or Urgent Urination Frontal Bossing Gas (Flatulence) Gastrointestinal Bleeding Genital Sores (Female) Genital Sores (Male) Groin Lumps Groin Pain Gynecomastia Hair Loss Hallucinations Hand Or Foot Spasms Hand Tremors Headache Hearing Loss Heart Murmurs And Other Sounds Heart Palpitations Heartburn Heat Intolerance Heavy, Prolonged, or Irregular Mens... Heel Pain Hemolytic Crisis Hepatomegaly Heterochromia Hiccups Hip Pain Hoarseness Or Changing Voice Hump Behind The Shoulders Hyperactivity Hyperelastic Skin Hypermobile Joints Hyperventilation Hypotonia Impaired Smell Increased Head Circumference Indigestion Infantile Reflexes Intercostal Retractions Intertrigo Irritability Itching Jaundice (Yellow Skin) Joint Pain Joint Swelling Knee Pain Leg Pain Lichenified Limited Range Of Motion Lordosis Low Nasal Bridge Lower Back Pain Macule Malaise Memory Loss Metopic Ridge Microcephaly Micrognathia Morbid Obesity Morning Sickness Moro Reflex Motormental Retardation Mouth Sores Muscle Aches Muscle Atrophy Muscle Cramps Muscle Function Loss Muscle Twitching Nail Abnormalities Nasal Congestion Nasal Discharge Nasal Flaring Natal Teeth Nausea And Vomiting Neck Lumps Neck Pain Night Blindness Nightmares Nikolsky’s Sign Nipple Discharge Nodules Nosebleed Numbness And Tingling Obesity Opisthotonos Pain During Sexual Intercourse Painful Menstrual Periods Painful Urination Pale or Clay-Colored Stools Paleness Papule Patches Patchy Skin Color Pectus Carinatum Pectus Excavatum Penis Pain Photophobia Pilonidal Dimple Pinna Abnormalities And Low-set Ear... Point Tenderness Polydactyly Polyhydramnios Poor Feeding In Infants Preauricular Tag Or Pit Premenstrual Breast Tenderness and ... Prognathism Pupils That Are Different Sizes Purpura Pustules Rapid Shallow Breathing Rash in a Child Under 2 Years Rashes Rib Cage Pain Ridged Sutures Scales Scrotal Swelling Seizures Sensorineural Deafness Separated Sutures Shin Splints Short Philtrum Short Stature Shoulder Pain Simian Crease Skeletal Limb Abnormalities Skin Blushing/flushing Skin Discoloration Skin Lumps Skin Turgor Sleeping Difficulty Sneezing Snoring Sore Throat Spasticity Speech Impairment (adult) Splenomegaly Splinter Hemorrhages Strange Behavior Stress And Anxiety Striae Subcutaneous Emphysema Sunburn Sunken Fontanelles Supernumerary Nipples Swallowing Difficulty Swallowing Pain Or Burning Sweating Sweating Decrease Swelling Swollen Glands Swollen Gums Taste Impairment Telangiectasia Tenesmus Testicle Lump Testicle Pain Tinnitus Tongue Problems Tooth Discoloration Toothaches Ulcers Uncontrollable Eye Movements Uncontrollable Movement Uncontrolled Or Slow Movement Uncoordinated Movement Unpredictable Or Jerky Movement Urinary Incontinence Urine Discoloration Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy Vaginal Discharge Vaginal Itching Vesicles Vision Problems Vomiting Blood Walking Abnormalities Watery Eyes Weak or Absent Pulse Weakness Webbing Of The Fingers Or Toes Weight Gain Weight Loss Wheezing White Spots in the Pupil Whitehead Widely Spaced Teeth Wrinkles Wrist Pain Yawning
DISEASES AND CONDITIONS GLOSSARY:
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