Anaphylaxis
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Sunshine Allergy and Asthma
Allergists & Asthma Specialists located in North Port, FL
Up to 5% of Americans experience anaphylaxis at least once. At Sunshine Allergy and Asthma, experienced allergist Nilamben Patel, DO, FAAAAI, offers anaphylaxis risk assessment, preventive care, and emergency preparation so you don’t need to fear for your life if you have an allergic reaction. Call the North Port, Florida, office or use the online scheduling link for an appointment.
Anaphylaxis Q & A
What is anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is an acute allergic reaction. Most commonly, anaphylaxis occurs due to food, stinging insect, medication, and latex allergies.
An anaphylactic reaction occurs when your immune system detects an allergen and floods your body with chemicals. This causes symptoms that can affect one area, several areas, or many parts of your body at one time.
Anaphylaxis commonly occurs in people with allergies, asthma, or a family history of anaphylaxis.
What are the symptoms of anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis causes severe symptoms that come on suddenly and progress rapidly. Although symptoms depend on the person and the situation, common signs of anaphylaxis include:
- Shortness of breath
- Hives or welts
- Itchy skin
- Flushing or feeling hot in the face and chest
- Throat tightness or closure
- Wheezing
- Cough
- Hoarse voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Tingling in lips, extremities, or scalp
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramping
- Diarrhea
- Losing consciousness
- Overwhelming feeling of doom
Anaphylaxis can vary from one episode to the next, ranging from relatively mild symptoms to life-threatening ones. This unpredictability means you should always prepare for a severe reaction.
How is anaphylaxis treated?
Finding your anaphylaxis trigger is extremely important in preventing and managing it going forward. Dr. Patel can perform allergy and asthma testing to find your triggers.
She can help you fight triggers through lifestyle changes, allergy shots, oral medication, and other means. It's also extremely important to prepare for medical emergencies if you're at risk for anaphylaxis.
For emergency use, Dr. Patel can prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector that can restore breathing during an anaphylactic attack. You can go from first symptoms to collapse in less than 30 minutes, so don't wait to inject epinephrine in your thigh if you have anaphylactic symptoms.
It's also important to educate your loved ones about proper epinephrine use in case you're unable to administer the shot yourself during an emergency.
After using the epinephrine auto-injector, call 911 right away. You need immediate medical attention in an anaphylactic attack, as you may require further medication or other life-saving treatments after your epinephrine dose.
Anaphylaxis can be fatal if you don't manage your risk and take fast action. Sunshine Allergy and Asthma is here for you, so call the office or click the online booking tool.
