Allergies can be annoying, but for some people, they can be life-threatening.
There are anaphylactic shock symptoms to look for that will be an indicator that serious medical attention will be needed. It’s important to be educated on this if you are ever to encounter it. This will also allow you to help someone experiencing this condition.
What Is Anaphylactic Shock?
Whereas regular allergies can annoy an anaphylactic shock is an overreaction of the immune system. This happens when you’re exposed to something your body is allergic to and causes anaphylaxis.
Most people know of allergies to things like peanuts or shellfish, but there are many allergens out there that can cause serious problems such as:
- Certain medications
- Eggs
- Milk
- Latex
- Shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Even exercise and aerobic activity in rare cases
When you get exposed to something you’re allergic to, your immune system goes into overdrive and floods the body with chemicals that can lead to an anaphylactic reaction. One big thing that happens is that your blood pressure drops rapidly and this can prevent oxygen from getting to your heart.
Your heart might stop from this influx of chemicals, that’s how serious it can be. There is also the issue of your airways narrowing and breathing can become blocked. This is the direct cause of exposure to the allergen and also some of the anaphylactic shock symptoms.
It means that the person will need immediate medical attention as this condition may be fatal.
Other Issues Caused By The Anaphylactic Reaction
As fatal as anaphylactic shock can be, there are other awful conditions that a person can be left with. If you survive it, you can still look at some serious brain damage issues. A person may also suffer kidney damage when they’ve suffered an attack.
Not only is there a chance of the fatality from the anaphylactic reaction from the lack of oxygen to the heart, but there is also the chance of a heart attack because of the stress on the body. This experience may also lead to arrhythmia and the whole situation can lead to a worsening of conditions in your body.
If you have respiratory problems, the shock can negatively enhance this condition and do some irreversible damage to the lungs. Therefore, immediate attention is needed and the less time that goes by the fewer complications there may be.
So now that you see how bad the fallout can be from all of this, here are 13 anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock symptoms to look for:
The first eight symptoms will focus more on anaphylaxis.
1. Skin Reactions
This is one of the easiest symptoms to look for. A person experiencing this will have flushed skin or a sudden paleness. You will see a very quick change in skin complexion showing the drop in blood pressure. You may also notice hives appearing on the skin
2. Changes In Pulse
The body is going into shock and also being flooded with chemicals at the same time, so this will cause some potentially big changes with the pulse. If the pulse gets weak, this may be a symptom of anaphylactic shock and at the same time, a person may experience it becoming quite rapid.
3. Throat Issues
This symptom can cause the feeling of having a lump in your throat that comes out of nowhere. The person may also indicate they are having trouble swallowing.
4. Abdominal Issues
This isn’t always related to anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock symptoms, but one thing to look out for are abdominal issues. This may be just abdominal pain or it may be nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea may also be a symptom and it’s an indicator to seek medical attention.
5. Swollen Tounge or Lips
This is another quick visual cue to look for one of the most common allergic reactions. With common food allergies such as peanut or shellfish, you can expect to see this symptom.
6. Breathing Issues
The respiratory problems mentioned above will reveal themselves as a symptom and difficulty breathing will occur when experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. This may also take the form of wheezing but it’s a clear indicator there is a serious issue.
7. Tingling Sensations
People may feel a tingling in their extremities but might feel it specifically in their hands and feet. It may not just be limited to these areas as there can be similar tingling through the mouth and even the scalp.
8. A Sense That Something Is Wrong
This is a hard symptom to quantify, but it should still be something to pay attention to. A person experiencing anaphylaxis and anaphylactic reaction will know something is wrong even if they don’t know specifically what. There can be a sense of suddenly feeling too warm, and even unassociated symptoms like a runny nose and sneezing.
Full Anaphylactic Shock Symptoms
When this occurs, the symptoms are more specific, and you’re looking at 5 distinct indicators:
- Struggling to breathe
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Sudden weakness
- Loss of Consciousness
The main key takeaway in all this is to know the different symptoms of anaphylactic shock to prevent any episode from getting worse. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms get better as they need medical attention. If the person carries an EpiPen, you’ll want to use it right away.
Even if the symptoms improve after injecting it, you still want to get to an emergency room to make sure the symptoms don’t recur.
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