Bee Stings, Honey Allergies, and Apitherapy - What You Need to Know
Let’s talk about the part of beekeeping that scares most people. Getting stung.
Chapter 12 of Backyard Farming: Keeping Honey Bees by Kim Pezza (ISBN: 978-1-57826-453-7) covers bee stings, honey allergies, and a centuries-old practice called apitherapy. There is a lot more going on here than just “ouch.”
Bee Stings and Allergic Reactions
About 2 million people in the US are allergic to bee stings. That sounds like a big number, but here is some perspective. Around 50 people die from bee stings each year. You actually have higher odds of dying from a lightning strike or the flu. So while it is a real concern, it is not the death sentence people imagine.
Here is what most people get wrong. You are not allergic to the stinger or the bee itself. You are allergic to the venom. When you get stung, your body produces antibodies to fight the venom allergen. Those antibodies release chemicals and histamines that cause swelling. That is the allergic reaction.
The tricky part is that some people have no idea they are allergic until they get stung. And here is something that surprises a lot of people: you can get stung multiple times over the years with no problem, then suddenly develop an allergy. Your body just decides one day that it has had enough.
How Bad Can It Get?
Reactions range from the mild to the very serious. On the mild end, you get pain and swelling around the sting site. Normal stuff.
On the serious end, you can experience nausea, tongue swelling, difficulty breathing, anaphylactic shock, and in worst cases, cardiac arrest. This is why bee sting allergies are not something to mess around with.
Treatment and Home Remedies
The standard medical treatment for a severe reaction is an epinephrine injection. Most people with known bee sting allergies carry injection kits with them at all times.
Some people build tolerance over time by receiving small and then progressively larger doses of venom under medical supervision. It is basically training your immune system to chill out.
For mild stings, there are a bunch of home remedies that people swear by:
- Honey on the sting (yes, seriously)
- Aloe vera gel
- Apple cider vinegar
- Crushed lemon balm leaves
- Baking soda paste
- Even mud (if nothing else is available)
One important tip from the book: the faster you remove the stinger, the less venom gets released into your skin. Do not waste time looking for tweezers. Scrape it off with your fingernail, a credit card, anything flat. Speed matters more than technique.
Honey Allergies
This is separate from bee sting allergies, and yes, it is a real thing. You can be allergic to honey just like any other food.
Symptoms include a runny nose, swelling of the lips or tongue, itchy throat, and hives. In the worst case, you can experience anaphylactic shock, though this is rare.
Treatment is usually just an antihistamine. And since honey is not exactly hidden in foods the way gluten or dairy can be, it is fairly easy to avoid in your diet.
Here is an interesting fact: you can be allergic to bee stings but not allergic to honey. They are two separate allergic responses. The venom and the honey are different substances, so your body treats them differently.
A Serious Warning for Parents
Never give honey to children under one year old. This is not about allergies. Honey can contain botulism spores, and babies have immature immune systems that cannot handle them. This applies to all honey, raw or processed. It is a real danger and it is worth repeating.
Apitherapy: Bee Sting Therapy
Now for something that might sound completely wild. Some people intentionally get stung by bees as a form of medical treatment. It is called apitherapy, and it has been around for centuries.
We are talking serious historical figures here. Alexander the Great reportedly used bee sting therapy. So did Charlemagne. This is not some internet wellness trend. It has deep roots.
Apitherapy has been used to treat arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, and carpal tunnel syndrome, among other conditions. The idea is that bee venom is rich in enzymes and biogenic amines. Practitioners believe it modifies the immune system and increases cortisol production.
In practice, live bees sting the affected area directly, or venom is applied through creams and injections. Either way, this must be done under medical supervision. You do not just grab a bee and hold it to your knee.
Local Honey for Seasonal Allergies
You have probably heard this one before. Eat local honey and your seasonal allergies will improve. The theory is that local honey contains trace amounts of local pollen, and consuming it regularly helps your body build immunity.
The research on this is divided. Some studies support it. Others say it is just a placebo effect. But plenty of people who deal with seasonal allergies say it helps them.
If you want to try it, the recommendation is about one teaspoon per day. Start months before allergy season kicks in so your body has time to adjust. One obvious caveat: if you are allergic to honey itself, this is not the approach for you.
It is one of those things where the science is not settled, but the risk is low and the potential upside is worth it for a lot of people. Plus, you get to eat honey every day. Not a bad deal.
This post is part of a series retelling Backyard Farming: Keeping Honey Bees by Kim Pezza (ISBN: 978-1-57826-453-7, Hatherleigh Press, 2013).