What are the symptoms of an HAE attack?
Swelling of the skin (called a cutaneous attack) is the most common symptom and usually affects the hands, face, feet, and genitals. Attacks that affect the skin are often times disfiguring (temporarily), disabling, and painful. At the beginning of an attack, patients usually feel some irritation or tingling that precedes the swelling. Swelling gradually builds over a period of one to two days. Swelling in the stomach area is also common and can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These attacks can also be excruciatingly painful. Because these attacks can resemble other surgical emergencies, many patients undergo unnecessary exploratory abdominal surgery if HAE hasn’t yet been diagnosed. Although less frequent, an attack that causes swelling in the throat (called a laryngeal attack) can be terrifying due to the risk of asphyxiation and the attack becoming a life-threatening situation.
