Anaphylaxis: Basics About Severe Allergic Reactions

Severe allergic reactions are a type of allergic reaction that is not discussed very much. There are many different things that can cause a severe reaction that vary from pollen to medications to food. More people should become aware of the signs and symptoms for Anaphylaxis which is the medical term for a severe reaction. The 2 major causes of a severe allergic reaction are bee stings and medicine.

Surprisingly, there is only factor that must occur for a person to be eligible for a severe reaction and that is the person must have come in contact with the offending substance at least once prior to the reaction. That means you could have a bee sting once before and not have any signs of a reaction. The next bee sting may cause you to go into a reaction. People who suffer from asthma, eczema, or hay fever are slightly more susceptible to having severe reactions than people who do not have any of those conditions.

The signs and symptoms of a severe reaction vary by the triggering substance and the person who is having the reaction. The most common symptoms are as follows:

- Swelling of the face, eyelids, throat, tongue, etc.

- Difficulty breathing

- Loss of consciousness

- Hives or skin rash

- Dizziness

- Numbness in the body

There are many more different symptoms that can occur. I never knew most of these facts myself until I almost lost my life due to a severe reaction. I was in the middle of a prescription for Amoxicillin and I took my dose for that day. I decided to lay down for a nap and found that I was having a little wheezing so I used my asthma rescue inhaler. Still nothing happened. I was really having trouble breathing and my neck was so swollen that I had to remove a necklace. I went from taking the pill and breathing fine to blacking out in the car on the way to the Emergency Room in less than 5 minutes.

After I arrived I am told that I almost had to have a breathing tube. I was lucky in the fact that I woke up two hours later and had no lasting affects.