Insect Allergy – Helpful Tips

Originally Published in 2007

Editors Note:Reactions to insect allergies can be VERY serious. Fatalities can and do occur and most are preventable. Here are some common sense reminders to keep you and your family safe this summer.

Bee or Wasp sting

If your last bee or wasp sting was serious you should see an allergist right away to see about receiving desensitization shots. It will be necessary to figure out which ‘family’ of bee venom you are allergic to. You may wish to call ahead to make sure your allergist does this line of specialty, if not, he or she can give you a referral to an appropriate specialist. Be warned, usually the next sting will be more serious than the last one, reactions get progressively worse.

Emergency treatment kit

Always carry an emergency treatment kit, which your allergist can prescribe for you.

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Tweezers

Put tweezers on your key ring to help pull out the stinger.
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Insect repellent spray

Carry a pocketsize insect repellent spray with you at all times ,and keep an extra one in the car. There are special sprays for wasps, and bees – be sure you have the right repellent spray.
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Clothing

Bright colored clothing, hair spray and perfume attracts insects. Black clothing also attracts bees. Loose clothing allows the insect an easy chance to get close to you. Therefore as much as possible cover up and don’t wear the kind of clothing that begs for trouble. If you are gardening, wear gloves.
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Be sensible…

Be sensible, you can’t go around sniffing flowers. That’s where the bees hang out.
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Never walk barefoot

Never, never walk barefoot. This is a very common way that people get stung.
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If a bee is buzzing…

If the bee is buzzing around you, don’t wave your arms or try to shoo it away. Walk away slowly. Keep your head down or covered.
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Eating outdoors

Try to avoid eating outdoors, even at restaurants. Bees are attracted to the area between the food on the table and the trash.
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B complex vitamins

Taking large doses of B complex vitamins will give your sweat an unpleasant odor that repels most insects.
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Check for wasp nests or bee hives

Ask someone from the local parks or other agency to check around your house for wasp nests or bee hives. You can then have them removed safely.
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Areas zoned for bee keeping

If you are new to the area, check the parks office for information of places to avoid. Certain areas are zoned for bee keeping.
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Dr. Grossan is one of the USA’s leading medical experts on Sinusitis. Dr Grossan is the creator of the pulsatile nasal irrigator attachment to Waterpik, an award winning medical device and subject of numerous research studies.