How to Evaluate Your Aptitude to Anaphylactic Shock?

• Anaphylactic shock is a serious medical condition that can result in death if not treated
• Anaphylactic shock is caused by a severe allergic reaction
• Immunotherapy can help with some types of severe allergies but not others

Anaphylactic shock is a very serious condition that can cause death if immediate medical treatment is not received, and this condition can be caused by a severe allergic reaction in your body. This condition can also be called anaphylaxis, and knowing whether you are at risk for this condition is important because of the extreme danger to your life and well being that it can cause if not treated very rapidly. The cause of anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction, but one that is very severe. This causes your body to experience a drop in blood pressure, breathing problems and difficulty, a severe rash with or without welting, severe swelling, itching, and even organ shutdown or failure which can cause you to die. Swelling, the drop in blood pressure, and the difficulty breathing are the three most serious symptoms, because swelling can block your airways preventing oxygen from getting to your cells, the blood pressure drop keeps blood away from vital organs which need it to function properly, and this can cause organs to slow or even stop working, which leads to your death. Because of the seriousness of this condition and the rapid reaction, testing your aptitude for anaphylactic shock should never include exposing yourself to allergens without medical supervision and immediate allergy treatment access.

The first thing you need to evaluate are your risk factors and chances of developing this condition. Do certain allergies run in your family? Do you have any allergies? Have you ever had immunotherapy? Does anyone in you family receive allergy treatment medications like anti-histamines or use allergen avoidance to prevent allergy symptoms? Some risk factors for anaphylaxis include previous allergies or a family history of allergies to any foods, drugs, venoms, insect stings or bites, or any bee or wasp stings. If you or anyone in your family suffers from any of these allergies, there is an increased chance that you could suffer from anaphylactic shock if exposed to certain allergens. If you have ever suffered from this condition before the odds are much greater that you will experience it again if exposed to the same allergen.

If you experience anaphylaxis, you need emergency medical treatment. Epinephrine is normally the first allergy treatment used for this serious condition, and if you are at high risk your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine pen and show you how to use it. When anaphylaxis hits, the symptoms can progress very fast from mild to unconscious, and this medication pen will allow you to inject yourself immediately as soon as you notice the signs of a severe allergic reaction. This will allow you to reverse the condition even before the paramedics arrive. If your doctor prescribes this device, always carry it with you everywhere because it may end up saving your life.

Once you have evaluated your aptitude for anaphylactic shock, you may want to discuss your allergy treatment options with your doctor. Immunotherapy can be very effective at desensitizing you to certain allergens which cause this condition, but not others. Bee sting and insect venom allergies can really benefit from immunotherapy, but many food allergies can not be helped with these treatment. One way to check your allergy severity level is to have your doctor inject you with a small amount of the suspected allergen and then note the results. Because this can cause anaphylaxis, it should only be done by a qualified medical setting where all of the drugs and equipment needed to treat this condition are available, just in case. Because of the higher risks involved, all of these precautions should be followed whenever you are exposed to any possible allergen.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.