Therapy
The treatment of an allergy to bee venom is divided into several sections. On the one hand the purely symptomatic treatment is of utmost importance, on the other hand certain preventive measures (prophylactic measures) should be taken to avoid the occurrence of such an allergic reaction caused by the bee venom. In order to combat the symptoms of an allergy to bee venom (itching, rashes, swelling of the respiratory tract), so-called anti-allergenic agents are used.
This group of drugs can be administered in different forms. There are various ointments and creams, drops, tablets and nasal sprays to alleviate the effects of allergen exposure. Probably the most important point in an effective therapy is the prevention of an allergic attack (prophylaxis).
Therefore, measures should be taken to either prevent the development of an allergy from the outset or to prevent the occurrence of excessive body reactions to the allergen. The preventive measures are divided into primary and secondary prophylaxis. More about this:
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The term “primary prophylaxis” refers to those measures which ensure that the organism does not develop an allergy to a foreign substance in the first place.
Avoiding allergen contact is currently the best and most effective means of primary prophylaxis. However, since a complete avoidance of contact with allergenic substances is hardly feasible, it is sufficient to avoid certain situations and foreign substances. In addition, various studies have shown that children who have been breastfed for at least the first four months of life are significantly less susceptible to developing an allergy.
This topic might also be of interest to you: Allergy DiagnosticsThe “secondary prophylaxis” includes all measures that are used to prevent the occurrence of the typical allergy symptoms or to greatly reduce the signs of an allergic reaction. Here too, the avoidance of allergen contact (allergen absence) is of decisive importance. This is particularly important because multiple contact with an allergenic foreign substance causes the concentration of antibodies of the IgE class to rise sharply and the immune response to each further contact is correspondingly stronger.
In the so-called hyposensitization (making less sensitive) against bee venom, the patient is exposed to different doses of the allergenic foreign substance (bee venom) over a longer period of time. In many cases the attending physician does not use the actual allergen bee venom, but a foreign substance (allergoid) similar to the allergen, but modified. This allergoid can be injected directly under the skin or applied to the mucous membrane in drop form. In the long term, hyposensitisation against bee venom prevents an excessive reaction of the immune system to the actual allergen.
