What Is Anaphylactic Shock And The Symptoms
Anaphylactic shock, otherwise known as anaphylaxis is a dangerous allergic reaction to any number of allergens that can cause severe symptoms and in the worst cases can even lead to the death of the sufferer. It is important to be aware of the potential causes, outcomes and prevention techniques as one could easily be faced with this situation, even with people who believe that they have no allergies.
The fact is they may simply not have yet come into contact with the allergen that evokes anaphylaxis for them.
What are the Symptoms of Anaphylactic Shock?
What makes anaphylactic shock so dangerous is that it affects major systems in the body, mainly the circulatory and respiratory system, but also including the airways themselves. For this reason, the symptoms of anaphylactic shock are heavily based around these systems. The symptoms you should look out for are listed below, but note that not all of these symptoms are necessarily present in every case of anaphylaxis:
- Red and itchy skin, rashes, etc.
- Dizziness.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Swelling of different parts of the body (face, airways, hands etc.).
- Nausea/vomiting.
- Metallic taste in the mouth.
Causes of Anaphylactic Shock
The causes of anaphylactic shock as mentioned above are due to the body’s reaction to certain allergens, which are normally proteins that make their way into the body. The body mistakenly thinks that the proteins are a threat to the body, much like it would with a virus or bacteria, and so releases antibodies to bind with the allergen. The bound antibody then proceeds to cause an inflammatory response in the body, leading to a combination, or all of the listed symptoms. In most people this reaction never occurs because the body correctly identifies the proteins as not being a threat.
The allergens/proteins mentioned, generally get into the body orally, or sometimes via the bloodstream. Below are a few of the more common ways that the proteins may enter the human body:
- Eating certain foods (peanuts, seafood, wheat etc.).
- Insect stings or bites.
- Antibiotics and other medications.
What can be Done About Anaphylactic Shock?
The simple truth is that anaphylactic shock is caused by the body’s incorrect response to allergens. This means that as of now there is no “cure” as such currently, and the only way to prevent further attacks is to make sure that you are not exposed to the allergen in the first place. This can mean avoiding eating certain food types, having your allergies listed on medical records so you are not given a certain type of antibiotic again, or in some cases avoiding certain countries or regions so as not to get bitten by the insect that causes anaphylaxis.
Sufferers that are aware of their allergy will also more than likely carry around an EpiPen that contains the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) so that in case of anaphylactic shock, they, or somebody else, can administer epinephrine, which is very effective at reducing the symptoms and can in many cases save the sufferers life. Epinepherine should only be injected into muscle and not fatty tissue or the veins/arteries. Injecting it into fatty tissue will reduce its efficiency, and injecting it into veins/arteries can cause incredibly dangerous effects.
An ambulance should be called whether or not the epinephrine is successful at reducing the symptoms, and should definitely be called if the sufferer does not have an EpiPen on their person. If the sufferer stops breathing before the ambulance arrives, then CPR should be performed, preferably by a certified first aider, or failing that someone who has knowledge of how CPR should be carried out.
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