Protect Yourself From A Lurking Danger (NAPSA)—Chances are, if you see a lot of black and yellow If you are allergic to insect yellow jacket builds her nest and lays eggs in the spring; by late stings, carry an epinephrine auto-injector and see an allergist for advice on the best methods of protection from dangerous reactions, insects in late summer and fall, they’re yellow jackets. A queen summer she is surrounded by a full colony of thriving subjects that seem to love outdoor food or drink. For most people, being stung is a nuisance, but for some, a yellow jacket sting can causea life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. You can take these precautions: Always wear shoes when outdoors Only drink from containers you can see inside—insects like to hide in canned drinks, and you can’t see them there Avoid strong perfume Keep outdoor areas free of garbage Have a professional remove any nests or hives on your property Andif you areallergic to insect stings, carry an epinephrine auto- injector and see an allergist for advice on the best methodsof pro- tection from dangerousreactions. Are You Allergic? A normal reaction to a yellow jacket sting may cause swelling and redness of the affected area. A local allergic reaction can cause more severe swelling affecting even an entire arm or leg, which develops over two days andlasts up to a week. In contrast, a generalized anaphylactic reaction usu- ally begins within minutes of the sting and can include hives and swelling covering large areas of the body, vomiting or diarrhea, throat tightness with difficulty breathing, and a sudden drop in blood pressure with severe dizzi- ness or unconsciousness. A person experiencing anaphylaxis needs immediate emergency medical care. Epinephrine—which many ambulances cannot carry— should be administered without (allergy shots) for patients at high risk for anaphylaxis. Througha series of shots containing small amountsof the allergic substance, the body is reac- quainted with the allergen in order to prevent dangerous reac- tions in the future. Althoughit is usually necessary to complete at least five years of immunother- apy, research shows that it is fully effective within thefirst few months in reducing a person’s risk of anaphylaxis by more than 95 percent. “No matter what kind of reac- care sought immediately. An Ounce Of Prevention Doctors recommendthat anyone who has ever had an unusual tion to insect stings you may have, prevention is the key to protecting yourself,” says David Golden, MD, the head of the Insect Allergy Research Project at Johns Hopkins University Asthma and Allergy Center. “If you do have an allergy to insect whether the reaction was indeed allergic. If so, the allergist will times. You can never be too careful when it comes to preventing delay and professional medical reaction to an insect sting see an allergist for tests to determine probably prescribe one or more units of self-injectable epineph- stings, you should also be sure to carry an EpiPen with you at all anaphylaxis.” Epinephrine is ordinarily rine, such as an EpiPen epinephrine auto-injector, to be carried at all times. EpiPen auto-injectors are a portable and easy-to-administer form of epinephrine, a drug administered with extreme caution to patients who have heart disease. Side effects of epinephrine may include increase in heart the patient to reach the emergency room. Epinephrine is the physician about the circumstances anaphylaxis, although some peo- With a few precautions in mind, everyone can enjoy summer that can help stabilize an anaphylactic reaction and buy time for only known antidote for severe ple will also need intravenous fluids and oxygen. Long-Term Prevention The allergist may also recom- mend venom immunotherapy rate and blood pressure, head- aches and shakiness. Patients should be instructed carefully by a under which this life-saving med- ication is used. and fall outdoors. EpiPen is marketed by Dey, L.P. For further information, visit www.deyinc.com.
