ALLERGY TO PROPOLIS: ITS CAUSES AND RELATIONSHIP WITH ALLERGENIC SUBSTANCES

Today on allergozona.ru we will talk about allergies to propolis, whether such a reaction is possible, its causes, symptoms, possible treatment.

An allergy to propolis is a pathological reaction of the body in response to the ingestion of this beekeeping product. The benefits of propolis for humans are enormous, but not everyone is able to experience it for themselves. The components contained in the substance may cause an allergic reaction.

Causes of allergies to propolis

Composition of propolis:

caffeates or caffeic acid esters;
caffeic acid salts;
plant pollen.

Can you be allergic to propolis? The main reason for the reaction is intolerance to one of the components, and most often it is caffeate.

When they enter the body of an allergic person, the production of histamine begins, which causes the corresponding symptoms. The development of a pathological reaction also occurs due to weakened immunity.

Treatment

If there are no serious consequences of contact with propolis, then treatment is prescribed on an outpatient basis using medications. It is better to avoid using traditional methods of treatment, as sometimes they provoke a worsening of the condition due to the development of a new allergic reaction. The basis of therapy is antihistamines:

Suprastin;
Tavegil;
Zodak;
Zyrtec;
Fenistil;
Telfast.

They are freely sold without a prescription, some of them cause delayed reactions and drowsiness, you need to be more careful if your work involves precision machinery or driving a car.

Important! Antihistamines should not be taken by pregnant women. This is allowed only if we are talking about the life and death of the patient.

If severe symptoms develop, such as angioedema or anaphylactic shock, help should be provided quickly. It is necessary to immediately call an ambulance and place the patient on the bed. If there are breathing problems, it is better not to put the person down, but to sit the person in such a way that it is possible to lean on the back of a chair or sofa.

Then it is necessary to give the patient an antihistamine. You can use one of the medications listed above, but it is best to choose an “emergency” drug, for example, Erius. Monitor your blood pressure - if it reaches a critically low level, it would be good to give an injection of adrenaline (0.1).

Important! If the patient waits for the ambulance, his life is not in danger. But you cannot refuse hospitalization, since the development of a relapse is possible, which without medical supervision will become fatal.

Allergy to propolis - symptoms

The symptoms of an allergy to propolis are pronounced. As a result of the negative reaction, the organs of the respiratory and digestive systems, as well as the skin, are affected.

Signs of a propolis allergy affecting the digestive organs :

acute abdominal pain;
nausea and vomiting;
diarrhea;
bloating;
increase in general body temperature.

Such manifestations can easily be mistaken for an intestinal infection or poisoning.

More dangerous are the symptoms of an allergic reaction to the waste product of bees, which arise from the respiratory system :

allergic rhinitis;
swelling of the nasal cavity and larynx;
sneezing;
cough;
dyspnea;
asthmatic manifestations.

Manifestations on the skin:

hyperemia or redness;
rash;
itching;
burning;
hives;
Quincke's edema.

The above symptoms do not usually appear all together.

Localization depends on the type of agent taken. For example, when taking a tincture, a violation of the gastrointestinal tract occurs, and when using an ointment based on bee glue, damage to the skin occurs.

Causes of an allergic reaction

The main reason for a negative reaction to the waste product of bees is individual intolerance.
Propolis contains components of caffeic acid (caffeate). Bees obtain them from pollen and nectar of plants. Accordingly, people who experience malaise in the spring and summer during the active flowering of plants are at risk. Once in the human body, caffeates provoke a powerful release of free histamine. In ordinary life, in the absence of an irritant, it is not active, but when it is released, the activity of the organic compound increases sharply. As a result, various allergic manifestations appear.

It is worth noting the fact that the severity of a negative reaction to a bee product may vary. For example, some people experience symptoms of an illness only a short time after taking a natural medicine. And another person develops an allergy only after a few days of apitherapy.

If signs of an allergic reaction appear, do not wait until everything goes away on its own. It is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible.

There are many medications against allergies. Their action is based on blocking histamine reactions in the human body. However, only a qualified doctor can say which medication to use in a particular case and determine the course of treatment. The choice depends on the characteristics of the reaction and the age of the patient. The most popular drugs include:

suprastin;
loratadine;
zodak;
tavegil;
Diazolin.

In addition to oral antihistamines, antiallergic nasal drops are used. They help relieve swelling and make breathing easier. It is recommended to apply soothing and regenerating ointments externally to the affected areas of the skin. For example, fenistil gel, psilo-balm, bepanten, etc. In order to cleanse the body of the allergen as quickly as possible, sorbents are used - coal, smecta, enterosgel, polysorb.

Folk recipes

Propolis (uza, bee glue) is considered one of the strongest organic natural products that causes intense allergic reactions. This reaction can be very acute and leads to various unpleasant symptoms.

A powerful stimulant that leads to intolerance of this active natural medicine is also a reaction to the essential oils that make up the bond. All the life activities of bees are connected with plants, flowers and pollen. It would be logical to assume that some people suffer from propolis intolerance, reacting similarly to various flowering plants.

How to identify the fact that you are allergic to bee glue? You can read specialized literature, and also study the visual symptoms of this phenomenon from photos posted on the Internet.

And, of course, you should not put off visiting an allergist. Only a specialist will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis and prescribe an adequate and effective method of therapy.

Allergies can manifest themselves either to bee glue in its pure form or to an alcohol tincture based on this beekeeping product. You can also study the symptoms of both options using specialized literature and photographs on the Internet.

Remember that allergies can be caused not only by bee glue, but also by all other types of beekeeping products. The fact is that all these options have a similar set of components, which serve as a source of corresponding unpleasant consequences in humans.

Thus, before using any type of beekeeping products, you should definitely visit an allergist. Such a specialist will help determine whether or not you have an individual intolerance to such natural products.

Of course, if you wish, you can conduct a small test for adverse effects completely on your own, at home. To do this, you will need to apply a small amount of the substance we are considering to the skin and wait a while.

If there are no adverse changes, you can start taking this natural drug. However, this should also be done with caution: you should start with the smallest doses, only gradually bringing these indicators to the recommended ones.

Side effects can spread to various organs and systems of the human body. The following departments are affected:

respiratory system;
digestive system;
skin.

Symptoms of the lesion can be quite painful for the patient. If you have the opportunity to avoid their appearance by avoiding contact with the allergen, then this approach would be the most correct.

If symptoms have already begun to appear, then it is necessary to immediately begin to eliminate them. Taking competent measures in a timely manner will help you improve your well-being in the shortest possible time.

Intolerance, accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, can be caused by a variety of substances. And, unfortunately, medicines of natural origin will be no exception here.

If we talk directly about glue obtained from honey-bearing insects, then in this case caffemates (esters of caffeic acid) will cause negative consequences in humans. It should be noted that we are talking about a fairly potent substance that can cause very serious negative consequences.

Moreover, along with their enormous strength, their quantity in the composition of glue obtained from honey insects is also incredibly high. How do coffee makers affect the human body?

The fact is that these components provoke the production of histamine in the body. As a result, the skin is irritated, and the normal functioning of the respiratory and digestive systems is disrupted.

Naturally, the presence of these components does not depend on the form in which the glue obtained from honey insects is presented: in its pure form or in the form of a tincture. The only thing that can change is the concentration of coffee compounds, and therefore the strength of the adverse reactions.

In addition, a negative reaction of the body can also be caused by those components that were originally contained in the pollen of those plants that the hardworking winged workers of the apiary farm flew around. After all, everyone knows that honey is obtained by processing pollen, and for many allergy sufferers, the course of their disease worsens precisely during the flowering period of various plants.

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The symptoms of allergic reactions are very similar to each other, regardless of their source. Even those people who do not themselves suffer from such manifestations can accurately list them.

First of all, people remember such unfavorable phenomena as sneezing and redness of the skin. However, in cases where we are talking about glue obtained from honey insects, the digestive system is first affected, and only then the skin and respiratory organs.

It is precisely because of this course of the disease that in the early stages it is easy to confuse it with poisoning. Knowing what foods you have recently eaten, as well as whether you have taken medications based on bee glue internally or externally will help you determine the diagnosis.

Correct diagnosis will help you quickly alleviate your condition. If you cannot determine the cause of your discomfort on your own, you should contact an appropriate specialist as soon as possible.

All medications consist of substances that block the production of histamines by cells in your body. Such small cells are produced abundantly when they react to the presence of an allergen, so their excess begins to disrupt our health and the normal functioning of the immune system.

The most effective are:

Avamis.
Advantan.
Acrivastine.
Aleron.
Gismanal.
Desloratadine.
Dexamethasone.
Diazolin.
Diphenhydramine.
Zaditen.
Zyrtec.
Zodak.
Kestin.
Ketotifen.
Clarisens.
Claritin.
Cromohexal.
Xizal.
Letizen.
Lomilan.
Loragexal.
Loratadine.
Lordestin.
Mizolastine.
Parlazin.
Pipolfen.
Prednisolone.
Semprex.
Setastin.
Suprastin.
Tavegil.
Telfast.
Trimistin.
Fexofenadine.
Fenistil.
Fenkarol.
Cetirizine.
Cetrin.
Eden.
Erius.

These are oral medications that are available without a prescription and contain antihistamine and corticosteroid substances. Oku-Hist is the only over-the-counter anti-allergenic nasal drops that effectively combats swelling of the respiratory tract.

“Xyzal” and “Klarnex” are the most effective drugs, but there is one drawback: they are not available in pharmacies without a prescription. The disadvantage of antihistamines is that most of them cause very strong drowsiness and promote vasodilation, so they are not recommended for hypertensive patients.

For followers of traditional medicine, there are homemade recipes that help with allergies. Herbal infusions are intended to affect external signs. Internal disorders are not treated with antiallergenic preparations. There are several simple recipes:

Wormwood grass is combined in equal proportions with corn silk, plantain and alder fruits. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of boiled water and boil for 4 – 5 minutes. Leave for 1 hour, strain and take a couple of sips 10 minutes before meals.
A tablespoon of celandine is poured into two glasses of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour and take half a glass in the morning and evening.
Wormwood is mixed with St. John's wort and yarrow in equal proportions. Pour boiling water over a tablespoon of herbs and leave for 30 minutes. Take 20 minutes before meals 3 times a day.
A tablespoon of spirea flowers is mixed with two glasses of boiling water. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes. Use the prepared tincture 3 times a day, one tablespoon.
Herbal baths with the addition of sage, chamomile and birch leaves. Decoctions are added to a warm bath and the procedure is performed for 20 minutes.

Is it possible to check the reaction before using propolis?

Before starting treatment with propolis-based drugs, you can test for an allergic reaction, that is, force the development of symptoms if the body is inclined.

Products for external use should be applied to the inside of the elbow; substances for oral use can be applied to the oral mucosa with a cotton swab. Next, after 10-20 minutes you should observe the possible reaction of the body. If signs of allergy begin, treatment with propolis should not be continued.

However, honey should not be taken by anyone who is allergic to bee products...

- I already said about 1 tsp. per glass of water, but if we drink this glass in one gulp, then it passes through almost the entire gastrointestinal tract and is absorbed only in the small intestine. If you drink half a glass, the honey remains in the stomach. There is another method of administration: honey under the tongue. This is a quick way to fill the body with energy. Under the tongue we have two large vessels, and everything that we send under the tongue immediately enters the bloodstream. And I’ll also mention honey massage.

— Honey created by bees in a natural way (I emphasize - natural!) is not an allergen. Therefore, it can be recommended as an additional nutrition to everyone who does not have an increased allergic mood in general. As a last resort, if you are afraid, apply a drop of honey to your wrist and see if something happens or not.

Do you know why the first month after the wedding is called honey? In the old days, newlyweds were given a small barrel of honey, 1-1.5 kg, and they had to eat it within a month in order to give birth to healthy offspring.

The only preparation for oral administration is aqueous propolis, because only its water-soluble part dissolves in water - the substance artepilin C, patented by Japanese scientists along with the technology for its production. 5 drops of this propolis 3 times a day is enough to maintain your condition at a normal level. And when treating internal diseases, the dose increases.

How to treat allergies to propolis

Treatment of allergy to propolis is prescribed only by a doctor based on the results of the examination. The first thing you need is antihistamines, which block the production of histamine in the body.

The following tablets are effective: Suprastin; Tavegil; Diazolin; Loratadine; Claritin; Zodak; Cetrin, etc. Some of the drugs depress the central nervous system and cause drowsiness. For this reason, patients who work, for example, as drivers, or have other professions that require increased attention, should take medications with caution.
Ointment will help relieve skin manifestations: Bepanten; Panthenol; Prednisolone, etc.
In order to quickly remove the allergen from the body, it would be advisable to prescribe sorbents: Enterosgel; Polysorb; Activated carbon.

Can propolis be taken orally, as suggested in many folk recipes?

Acute urticaria does not pose a health hazard; the main task is to identify and eliminate contact with the allergen. Worrying symptoms are easily eliminated with antihistamines and folk remedies. Neglected urticaria becomes chronic; the disease haunts a person with persistent regularity and lasts for years.

This is fraught with infection, since crusts and scratches form in places where the blisters naturally break. Urticaria, accompanied by an anaphylactic reaction and suffocation due to swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, poses a serious danger to life. Urgent medical care in such cases is extremely necessary; death can occur within 5-30 minutes.

With profuse skin rashes, warm herbal or soda baths significantly alleviate the patient's condition. They are used independently or in combination with treatment prescribed by a doctor.

A couple of cups of regular baking soda must be dissolved in the bath and that’s it, the healing bath is ready.

A bath with nettle gives instant results. You can pick May nettles yourself or purchase 2 packages at the pharmacy. Prepare a nettle decoction in a saucepan and add it to the bath. You can take this procedure twice a day, for no more than half an hour. For a bath, you can take equal parts of elderberry and nettle. The product is also great for children.

However, for the treatment of childhood urticaria, traditional medicine offers a collection of medicinal herbs: sage, chamomile, valerian root, string, St. John's wort, marjoram and celandine. Take the herbs in equal proportions and mix. Five tablespoons of the mixture are required for every liter of water in the bathroom. Measure out the required number of tablespoons of raw materials, prepare a decoction in a saucepan and add it to the bath. The course lasts from 2 to 3 weeks, baths are taken for 10 minutes, every other day.

Using the same principle, it is easy to prepare a soothing, healing bath with infusions of chamomile, flax seeds, juniper and oak bark.

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Lotions

Cool compresses or lotions provide excellent relief from itching. Solutions for homemade compresses are prepared on the basis of medicinal herbs and such improvised means as salt, garlic, lemon juice or vinegar.

To prepare a salt compress, you need to dilute 2 tablespoons of salt in a liter of water. Moisten a cotton or gauze cloth with the resulting solution and apply to the itchy area, 10 minutes will be enough. After the compress, the skin must be rinsed with warm water; dried salt crystals can cause re-irritation.

A vinegar lotion relieves irritation well. For a liter of water - 1 tablespoon of vinegar (lemon juice), a more acidic solution can cause even greater skin irritation, keep for about 10 minutes.

Lotions can be made for both adults and children. Herbs suitable for baths are also suitable for compresses. An effective remedy for the treatment of childhood urticaria is a lotion with propolis tincture: a teaspoon of tincture in 1/2 glass of water. A cloth soaked in medicine is applied to the affected skin for 10 minutes. Herbal infusions can be frozen and rubbed on the skin with ice.

To treat urticaria, you can prepare an ointment based on garlic. Peel one head of garlic, chop it and pour half a liter of boiling water. Boil the mixture until the volume is reduced by half. Then add a glass of hot vegetable oil, stir and add beeswax in small portions for thickness.

You can prepare an ointment from a strong infusion of calendula and castor oil. To two tablespoons of castor oil you need to add 1/2 teaspoon of decoction.

Mint tooth powder diluted with water and mixed with baby powder will help get rid of itching.

Baths with herbal infusions.

Let's look at a couple of simple recipes:

Take one tablespoon each of wormwood (herb), corn stigmas, alder inflorescences, large plantain leaves. Make a homogeneous mass out of all this. Next, take a spoonful of the resulting raw material and boil it in two hundred milliliters of water for five minutes. Let it brew for one hour, then strain and drink only one sip three or four times a day 15 minutes before meals. Treatment lasts approximately one month.
In equal quantities, take flowers of the herb immortelle sandy, St. John's wort, bitter wormwood, yarrow inflorescences and boil in a water bath for about fifteen minutes. After forty minutes, strain. Squeeze the resulting raw material thoroughly and drink two or three sips after meals. The course of treatment is one month.
Take a tablespoon of celandine herb and brew it in two glasses of boiling water. Let it brew for about forty minutes. Afterwards, drink half a glass in the morning and evening twenty minutes before meals.
An infusion of spirea flowers, or better known as meadowsweet, is also very effective. Take one tablespoon of raw material and five hundred milliliters of boiling water. Combine and leave for about fifteen minutes. It is recommended to consume one tablespoon four times a day for several months.

Propolis (or bee glue) is probably the most popular beekeeping product after honey. And no wonder!

This is truly a unique creation of nature that can save you from many ailments. But not everyone knows that propolis often causes allergic reactions, especially in cases of overdose and improper use.

Symptoms of an allergy to propolis are no different from allergies to other substances. Depending on the place of contact with the allergen, it can be a runny nose, dry cough, rash, nausea, etc. Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor (usually diet and antihistamines).

Here are some tips to help you avoid propolis allergies or recognize the first symptoms in time:

Do not use propolis preparations for more than a month. Studies have proven that with prolonged use, propolis can suppress the body's immune system and also cause a cumulative allergic reaction.
Such an allergy does not occur upon first contact with a substance, but as it accumulates in the body. You can be successfully treated with propolis preparations for several months or even years, and then suddenly notice symptoms of individual intolerance (rash, itching, runny nose, nausea and etc.). From this moment on, propolis becomes a prohibited substance for you, since once an allergic reaction occurs, it will subsequently occur with each repeated contact.
Be especially careful when propolis comes into contact with mucous membranes. The most severe manifestations of individual intolerance to propolis usually occur upon contact with mucous membranes (in the nose, in the oral cavity, etc.), since in this case the substances are quickly absorbed directly into the blood.
Therefore, before use, be sure to carry out a tolerance test: drop 1-2 drops of the drug with propolis on your lower lip (or put a small piece of native propolis). If after 30-60 minutes you do not experience severe burning, itching, swelling or other unpleasant symptoms, then you can carry out treatment. Before using products with propolis externally, you should apply a small amount of the substance to the inside of the elbow and assess the condition of the skin after 1 -2 hours. Start taking oral propolis preparations with small doses, carefully monitoring your condition.
You should be extremely vigilant when carrying out inhalations and when working with children.Inhalations with propolis preparations can only be done by people with good (tested) tolerance to propolis and other beekeeping products (including bee stings).
Never start your acquaintance with propolis with inhalations! Do not carry out such procedures alone.
When using propolis preparations in children, a tolerance test is mandatory! Strictly adhere to treatment periods, carefully monitoring the dynamics. If the symptoms of the disease do not go away or worsen, stop taking the drug. If a child, when instilling aqueous propolis into the nose, complains of a strong burning sensation, a dry cough appears, and nasal breathing disappears, these are clear signs of an allergic reaction.
To avoid cumulative allergies, you should not continue instilling in…
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Allergen testing

To check how the body reacts to any remedy, you need to start taking propolis preparations, starting with small doses.

If an allergic reaction does not appear, then you can continue treatment, gradually increasing the dosage to that specified in the prescription.

It is possible to measure the maximum dose of propolis for a particular patient. To do this, an injection is given with a minimum content of propolis (about 2 micrograms). If there are no external negative manifestations, and a blood test shows the absence of abnormalities in the body, the dose is increased to 5 and then to 50 micrograms.

You can also do similar testing at home.

Take a 30% propolis tincture and apply it with a cotton swab to the mucous membrane of the palate and cheeks, as well as to the inner surface of the elbow. If there is no reaction within 24 hours, it means that an allergy to propolis is not scary for this person, and he can be treated with it without fear.

How to test for propolis allergy

Before using the bond for the first time, you need to make sure that the body will adequately respond to this natural remedy. To do this, you can do the following test yourself:

buy alcohol tincture of propolis at the pharmacy;
apply a few drops of medicine to the skin of the arm on the inside of the elbow;
After 5-10 minutes, examine the area of application.

If the skin turns red and swelling appears on the mucous membrane, it means that the person being examined has an undesirable reaction to propolis.

More in-depth tests for tolerance to bee products can be done at an allergy center. Using a blood test, specialists will determine the possibility of unwanted manifestations during treatment with bee glue and establish safe doses if the use of this product turns out to be acceptable.

Treatment with medications

Pharmacy chains offer a large number of drugs aimed at combating allergic reactions. Their action is the same: to influence the histamine released in the body, so these drugs are practically no different from each other. Well proven:

Zodak;
Diazolin;
Loratadine;
Suprastin;
Claritin;
Erius.

They are produced in the form of tablets, respectively, their action occurs from the inside: they relieve swelling of tissues, treat rashes, and make breathing easier.

These…