Our goal is to provide you with essential information on severe allergic reactions and if you can make use of the information provided, you may just save a life, maybe your own.

Allergic reactions are quite common in people where the triggers are varied and the symptoms, varied. There are some rare cases where the victim may suffer from one of the most severe allergic reactions called anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a frightening experience as the patient struggles for breath and the severe allergic reaction quickly spreads. These dangerous symptoms can result in shock, which can lead to death.

The first time a person is exposed to a trigger or cause, such as a bee sting it will not cause anaphylaxis but results in what is referred to as sensitization. Now that the person has become sensitized to the trigger, in this case a bee sting, the next time they are stung it is possible for them to suffer from anaphylaxis.

A person may enjoy eating shellfish for years and then suddenly develop a severe allergic reaction; there is no telling when or if it will strike. Usually on exposure to an allergy trigger, anaphylaxis results almost instantly but there are times when the reaction is delayed.

Anaphylaxis occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an antigen acknowledging a foreign substance in the body. The leucocytes or white blood cells make antibodies when reacting with the antigen; and these antibodies disperse in the bloodstream and bind to some cells of the body.

Once the antibodies come in contact with an antigen, other cells start producing chemicals called ‘mediators’. An example of such a mediator is histamine. And it is this effect of these mediators that causes an allergic reaction in the body.

There are many triggers for anaphylaxis; and only a trace amount of this trigger is sufficient to start a severe allergic reaction. These triggers to severe allergic reactions may be prescription and over the counter medications, venom of stinging insects, food additives, substances like latex, some foods like shellfish and nuts, dyes used in radiology procedures and transfusion of blood or blood products.

Although it is impossible to know when a severe allergic reaction will occur it has been found that asthma, eczema and hay fever suffers are more likely to endure anaphylactic situations than the rest of the population.

The most threatening symptom to severe allergic reactions is difficulty in breathing and loss of consciousness that is due to swelling and/or spasms in the airways. Loss of consciousness here arises with low blood pressure, and is referred to as ’shock’. In very rare cases, the heart may stop pumping and breathing can stop.

When suffering from severe allergic reactions, you should not try to ‘wait it out’ at home. Instead, go to the nearest emergency department or ambulance.

While waiting for the ambulance, you have to remain calm, try to identify the cause of the reaction and take an antihistamine if you have no difficulty swallowing. If you have an epinephrine kit, inject yourself or have someone do it for you.

The main motive of this article was to make you aware of the importance of being informed concerning severe allergic reactions and if you think that we were successful in doing that, our goal has been achieved.