Insect Allergy: Decrease Your Chances of Being Stung

Watch where you are going.

Wasps build cones in sheltered places, especially under porches and eaves. Wasps may also nest on fences or around boat docks. Hornets can build oval paper nests suspended well above the ground. Yellow jackets have a habit of nesting in the ground, under rocks, or in walls of buildings. If you see more than two yellow jackets or bees close to the ground surface, pause for a moment to see what they do or where they go. If they suddenly vanish into the fall leaves or grass, be cautious, their nest may be close by. Bees and wasps usually sting only when their nests are threatened or when they are actually touched.

Activities with particular risk include; tampering in any way with wasp nests or yellow jacket burrows. This may accidentally occur when mowing the lawn, cutting flowers, trimming hedges or shrubs, or painting a house. Wasps and yellow jackets search for food around open soda cans, trash or garbage cans. Picnic grounds and clover fields are favorite gathering places for these insects too. Never go barefoot or wear sandals outdoors.

Avoid fast, jerky motion; it excites insects.

If you are "buzzed" by a bee or wasp, never flail at it with your arms. Instead, stop or keep walking slowly. Stinging insects are more apt to attack a fast-moving object than a stationary or slow-moving one. (Sometimes, however, one must run for safety, as when a large nest is disturbed.)

Wear light-colored clothing when out (picnicking, walking in the woods, etc.)

Bees are extremely color-sensitive. Dark shades, especially brown, black and dark red, seem to anger them; floral prints also can attract bees. As every beekeeper knows, white or khaki clothing seldom bothers them. Loose-fitting clothing, such as head scarves and billowing skirts, are undesirable because a bee or wasp may become trapped in these.

Do not apply anything that has a sweet odor to your body (such as hair sprays, oils, perfumes or colognes).

Bees and wasps sense sweet orders easily. Hair oils and perfumes which contain floral odors attract them. If a bee or wasp becomes entangled in human hair, its first reaction is to sting. Shower with non-perfumed soaps.

Spray picnic area or other dangerous areas beforehand.

To avoid having yellow jackets and bees gather at a picnic table, spray area beforehand with a fast acting insecticide. Avoid insecticide sprays containing pyrethrum, as this chemical can aggravate allergy symptoms. Keep a can of insecticide in the kitchen to be used to spray the trash and garbage can area, in the glove compartment of the automobile and nearby when working outdoors for use when an insect approaches you.

Call an exterminator.

Don't do it yourself. Be sure there are no nests of yellow jackets, bees, or other wasps in the immediate area of your house, garden, or lawn. Don't try to dispose of the nest by yourself. It is a tricky business, requiring expert use of insecticides. One mistake can unleash scores of angry stinging insects.

Medical therapy of insect allergy will be discussed by your physician.

Injectable adrenaline (EPIPEN), antihistamines, or medicated sprays may be used to counter the allergy reaction. A program of emergency treatment appropriate for your specific condition will be prescribed. Please ask questions if you do not understand any part of your medical program. Allergy injection therapy may also be included in your treatment program. Allergy injections attempt to reduce the degree or amount of allergy reaction that you get when stung. Allergy injections are often very effective, although not always completely so. Also a period of months is required to build up your immunity. Therefore, you should "play it safe" and always have your emergency medicines available to treat sting reactions.

Oklahoma City Ranks Ninth for Most Challenging Cities for Asthma

AAFA’s 2021 Asthma Capitals Report Lists Most Challenging Cities to Live in the U.S. with Asthma; Oklahoma City takes ninth place for 2021

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recently rolled out its 2021 Asthma Capitals report. The report coincided with World Asthma Day, part of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. AAFA’s Asthma Capitals report analyzes data from the 100 largest cities in the United States to determine its ranking. Allentown, Pennsylvania takes the top spot as the most challenging place to live for asthma in the 2021 report. Oklahoma City was ranked ninth and Tulsa was 24^th.

The ranking is based on three criteria: asthma prevalence, emergency department visits for asthma, and deaths due to asthma. The report also highlights risk factors including poverty, air pollution, access to specialists, pollen counts, medicine use, smoking policies, and the rate of uninsured residents in an area. AAFA previously identified existing “Asthma Belts” which continue to have a grip on the eastern half of the nation, however two western cities – Tucson, Arizona and Fresno, California, are also listed in the top 20 cities for this year’s report. The top 20 Asthma Capitals for 2021 are: 1. Allentown, Pennsylvania 2. Baltimore, Maryland 3. Richmond, Virginia 4. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 5. New Haven, Connecticut 6. Cleveland, Ohio 7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 8. Dayton, Ohio 9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 10. Tucson, Arizona 11. Worcester, Massachusetts 12. Springfield, Massachusetts 13. Columbus, Ohio 14. Birmingham, Alabama 15. Detroit, Michigan 16. Louisville, Kentucky 17. Hartford, Connecticut 18. Boston, Massachusetts 19. Fresno, California 20. Greensboro, North Carolina. To see the complete 100-city list, visit asthmacapitals.com.

“AAFA produces the Asthma Capitals report and similar research to help improve the lives of the estimated 25 million Americans living with asthma. It’s important to highlight areas which deserve our urgent attention and collective action. This includes the pressing need to develop more programs and policies that will effectively help us reduce stark disparities in asthma based on race, gender, income and where people live,” said Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of AAFA. “This report also supports the need for climate action. Air pollution, extreme weather patterns, and natural disasters fueled by climate change continue to have a worsening impact on Americans living in certain communities. This is not only a critical area of investigation, but signals exactly where work needs to be done for those with the greatest needs.”

The report also calls attention to the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in determining the rankings. This includes some changes in health outcomes and risk factors like pollen exposure, medicine use, and emergency room visits. In 2020, fewer people experienced pollen allergies due to COVID-19 restrictions, recommendations to stay indoors, and other preventative measures like mask wearing. As a result, use of long-term asthma medicines were also down along with fewer people heading to hospital emergency rooms for asthma.

“The pandemic, economic recession, climate crisis, and racial injustice all had a significant impact on the asthma community in 2020. Despite some varying factors, asthma remains a serious public health threat with an average of 10 people dying each day. At AAFA, we reiterate that’s 10 too many. Most of these tragedies are preventable,” said Melanie Carver, chief mission officer at AAFA. “Stakeholders, policy makers, health officials, communities and individuals around the nation can use this information to join us in our mission to save lives.”

“It’s been an especially challenging year for allergies so far with high pollen and mold spore counts along with high allergy alert days,” said Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic Board-certified allergist Dr. Laura Chong. “All of these can be triggers for increases in asthma attacks too. It is important to get an evaluation to figure out your triggers and the best strategy to help optimize control of your asthma.”

The 2021 Asthma Capitals report is an independent research project of AAFA made possible in part by support from the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) Foundation. For the latest AAFA news and resources go to aafa.org.

The post Oklahoma City Ranks Ninth for Most Challenging Cities for Asthma appeared first on Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

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Insect Allergy: Decrease Your Chances of Being Stung

Insect Allergy: Decrease Your Chances of Being Stung

Watch where you are going.

Avoid fast, jerky motion; it excites insects.

Wear light-colored clothing when out (picnicking, walking in the woods, etc.)

Do not apply anything that has a sweet odor to your body (such as hair sprays, oils, perfumes or colognes).

Spray picnic area or other dangerous areas beforehand.

Call an exterminator.

Medical therapy of insect allergy will be discussed by your physician.

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Oklahoma City Ranks Ninth for Most Challenging Cities for Asthma

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