Allergy Emergencies

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

30 Aug 2006 12:58 PM

The Be S.A.F.E. campaign is here to help raise awareness about severe allergic reactions and help prevent needless death across the country. If you or someone you know has problems with severe allergic reactions to foods, insect stings, or medications, you should know about anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can affect many parts of the body at once. Among the most common causes are food allergies, insect stings, reactions to medications, and latex allergies. Symptoms may include hives; itchiness and redness on the skin, lips, or eyelids; tongue and throat swelling; nausea and cramping; vomiting and diarrhea; dizziness and fainting; and difficulty breathing.

Anaphylaxis causes as many as 1500 deaths every year in the United States. Many of these deaths are preventable with immediate medical attention; an allergic reaction can escalate to anaphylaxis in just minutes.

What can you do to prevent needless death from allergic reactions?

1. Seek immediate medical help at the first sign of a severe allergic reaction. Call 911 or have a friend or family member bring you to an emergency care facility immediately. Seek care EVEN IF you have taken epinephrine.
2. Identify the cause of the allergic reaction. Knowing what caused the problem can help doctors treat it.
3. Follow up with your doctor or an allergy specialist to help manage your allergy. You may need testing to determine exactly what triggers your severe allergy reactions. An allergist or immunologist can help develop a treatment plan to manage your allergies.
4. Talk to your doctor about an epinephrine kit for emergencies, especially if you have already experienced a severe allergic reaction in the past. Your doctor can prescribe a kit with self-administered epinephrine shots; make sure you and your close friends and family know how to use the kit and give an injection in case of an emergency.

Find out more about the Be S.A.F.E. campaign here.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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