Allergic Reactions Tips

Be prepared for allergic reactions You and your family are out on a picnic when one of you gets stung by a bee. What do you do? In most cases all you would have to do is remove the stinger and apply ice to the sting site to relieve the pain and swelling. However, in some cases, a bee sting can be a life threatening situation. A bee, wasp, hornet, or a yellow jacket sting in some people can cause an anaphylactic reaction. An anaphylactic reaction is a massive allergic reaction from a sting that occurs within seconds to minutes. You can also get the same type of reaction from eating certain types of food, being bitten by insects other than bees, and from taking drugs such as penicillin. You get this reaction by becoming sensitive to these different items. In anaphylaxis, people experience shortness of breath, sneezing, wheezing and/or coughing. They will frequently complain of tightness in the chest with the sensation that their throat is closing. Their skin may be flushed or ashen and there may be facial swelling, especially around the eyes. They may even complain about severe itching around the throat area, and they may have hives or the skin may just take on a red, inflamed appearance. The pulse will usually be rapid, and blood pressure will fall. This sequence of events can occur in seconds and can be fatal unless proper treatment is started immediately. You may have to do mouth-to-mouth breathing to keep the victim alive. You may even have to do C.P.R. Remember to keep calm and have someone call 9-1-1. Stay on the phone until the dispatcher hangs up, as they need to ask you questions about what is going on so they will be able to give the first emergency units vital medical information. When the fire department arrives, the necessary drugs to counter the reaction will be given by trained Emergency Medical Technicians. To learn how to do C.P.R. or mouth-to-mouth breathing, contact the fire department. We will be happy to tell you when the next classes are. Remember-life threatening anaphylactic reactions are rare but they do occur. Be prepared.