Severe allergic reactions can cause your body to suffer from anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is the result of a severe allergic reaction. These allergic reactions can be caused by foods, insects, medications, or even latex. Anaphylaxis occurs 30-60 minutes after exposure.
Symptoms may include swelling of the lips, tongue, metallic taste, itching of the mouth, swelling of the throat, difficulty swallowing, swelling around the eyes, rash, redness, paleness, cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, low blood pressure pressure, chest pain and palpitations. You don’t have to have all of these symptoms at once. Some people may suffer from just one of these, but it will be serious enough to know that your body is having an allergic reaction to something.
Some of the most common foods that can cause allergic reactions are peanuts, tree nuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, shellfish, cow’s milk, eggs, fish, soy, and wheat. Insects such as yellow jackets, wasps, honey bees, fire ants and spiders can cause allergic reactions to their venom. Things like exam gloves and balloons can cause latex allergic reactions.
Find a good allergist
It is important that if you feel that you are suffering from a severe allergic reaction to anything, that you see an allergist. An allergist will be able to know how to test you for a suspected allergy. An allergist can perform a skin prick test that will test you for over fifty different allergens, the most common at once. Another test they may do is a skin injection test or patch test. The patch test monitors for delayed symptoms that may not appear immediately after exposure.
If you are allergic to something, ongoing monitoring will best help manage your allergy. Some people can even outgrow certain allergies, so regular testing and follow-up with your doctor can be helpful.
Epi-Pen for a severe allergic reaction
If you suffer from severe allergies, your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector. Its brand name is Epi-pen. This is an auto-injector that delivers epinephrine. It can be life-saving for people who have a severe allergic reaction.
Epinephrine constricts blood vessels in the body. This raises the body’s blood pressure and reduces swelling. When this happens, the muscles relax, they can help open the lungs in cases where breathing is difficult, and this will stop the allergic reaction from continuing. Epinephrine is the only drug that can simultaneously affect the whole body: multipartite, multiorgan.
An epinephrine auto-injector is only necessary if your allergy is severe enough to cause anaphylaxis.
Learn how to use your Epi-Pen
It is very important to make sure that you really need a prescription for this medicine. Some people may need an auto-injector for a short time, and then they will develop their allergies. People who have auto-injectors should know exactly how to use them. Usually when people suffer from a severe allergic reaction who have an auto-injector and it is not used; it’s because they don’t know when and how to use their auto-injector. Each device is different so make sure you are well educated on your specific device. Also, if your child has an auto-injector, everyone caring for your child should be shown how to use it.
Most injections are designed to be injected into the fat area of the thigh so that the medicine works properly. You don’t want to inject into muscle or bone, or the effect of the drug won’t work. It is important to store the medicine at room temperature. They should not be stored where they can be too hot or too cold. You should use your auto-injector as soon as symptoms of a severe allergic reaction begin. This is usually 30-60 minutes after exposure.
READ MORE. Consequences of anaphylaxis. 10 Important Steps to Take After an Allergic Reaction
Injection errors
Miss injections can sometimes happen. This can be done when someone who doesn’t know how to use auto-injectors accidentally injects themselves.
There are some symptoms that can occur if you inject when you don’t need to. There may be temporary numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. Pain and swelling at the injection site. It can also cause an increased heart rate or palpitations. High blood pressure and a potential heart attack are also symptoms of a missed injection. It is also important to use your auto-injector exactly as prescribed.
You can overdose on epinephrine. Overdose symptoms include blurred vision, weakness, sweating, ringing in the ears, chest pains, and a slow heart rate. Following up with your doctor if you think you experience any of these after using your auto-injector may be best.
Final thoughts
Epinephrine auto-injectors are used when a severe allergic reaction ends in anaphylaxis. This can be caused by food, poison, medication or latex. If you find that you have an allergic reaction to something, regular appointments with an allergist can be helpful to help you manage your allergy-free life. Allergies can come and go, so staying up to date with your allergies can be important. You may need an epinephrine auto-injector at some point, but may eventually outgrow the need for it.
Anaphylaxis occurs 30-60 minutes after exposure.