How dangerous is it to be stung by a bee

Is being stung by a bee dangerous?

Although bee stings can be painful, they only rarely cause serious complications. The discomfort and localized swelling caused by a normal reaction to a bee sting can last for several days but is not a cause for alarm. Taking antihistamines can ease the discomfort of a sting as can the application of an ice pack to the sting site. A beekeeper who has been stung many times can build up a tolerance and will not swell in response to a sting: people may become effectively immune to the venom, but there is a range of possible reactions.

There are fifty to one hundred deaths in the United States each year from insect stings, about half of which come from honey bees. In highly allergic individuals, bee stings can result in anaphylaxis, which causes the throat to swell shut and the blood pressure to drop, which can be followed by shock, unconsciousness, and even death if left untreated. This type of anaphylactic response to a bee sting is rare, however, and can be treated via professional medical intervention. People who think they are having an extreme allergic reaction should seek immediate medical help and discuss desensitization procedures with an allergist.

Africanized bees (also called killer bees) are very aggressive and attack in large groups when they are threatened, which can result in a victim being stung repeatedly, in some cases thousands of times. The amount of venom injected in such an attack can be so large that it can be lethal. The amount of venom in a single honey bee sting, by comparison, is tiny.

What is bee venom?

Venom is a complex mixture of chemicals, including a toxic protein called melittin, which bursts blood vessels and damages tissues. Emollient enzymes act like water on a dry sponge, maximizing the toxins' spread into the tissues. Neurotransmitters are stimulated in the brain that accentuate the fear and excitement felt by the victim, and the venom stimulates the victim's body to release histamines that produce itching, redness, and swelling as a side effect of defending itself against the toxin. Bee venom is available in various forms and with different degrees of purity (it can contain traces of pollen, honey, dust, feces, or nectar), and it can be processed and freeze dried.

There are unproven uses for bee venom, such as to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, joint diseases, and skin diseases. In many countries, bee venom is a component of prescription and non-prescription creams, liniments, ointments and salves, and injectable compounds. Some beekeepers claim that a bee sting on a painful spot provides excellent pain relief, and some people use bee venom to treat arthritis. Some veterinarians use bee venom injections to treat horses and dogs with arthritis.

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