- How to recognize anaphylactic shock
- What to do to not have anaphylactic shock
- How the treatment is done at the hospital
Anaphylactic shock is a serious allergic reaction that can lead to the throat closing, preventing proper breathing and leading to death within minutes. Therefore, anaphylactic shock should be treated as soon as possible.
First aid in this case is important to guarantee the victim's chances of survival and include:
- Call an ambulance by calling 192 or take the person immediately to the emergency room; Observe if the person is conscious and breathing. If the person passes out and stops breathing, cardiac massage should be started. Here's how to do it correctly. If you are breathing, you should lie down and raise your legs to facilitate blood circulation.
In addition, one should look for whether the person has an adrenaline syringe in the clothes or bag, for example, and inject it into the skin as soon as possible. Typically, people with food allergies, who are at high risk for anaphylactic shock, often carry this type of injections for use in emergency situations.
In the event that the shock occurred after an insect or snake bite, the animal's stinger must be removed from the skin, ice applied to the site to decrease the spread of the poison.
How to recognize anaphylactic shock
The first symptoms of anaphylactic shock are:
- Increased heartbeat; Difficulty breathing and coughing and wheezing in the chest; Stomach pain; Nausea and vomiting; Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat; Pale skin and cold sweat; Itching in the body; Dizziness and fainting; Stopping cardiac
These symptoms can appear seconds or hours after contact with the substance that causes the allergic reaction, which is usually a medication, the poison of animals like bees and hornets, foods like shrimp and peanuts, and gloves, condoms or other objects made of latex.
What to do to not have anaphylactic shock
The best way to prevent anaphylactic shock is to have no contact with the substance that causes the allergy, avoiding consuming shrimp and seafood or contact with objects made of latex, for example.
Another preventive measure is to ask the doctor to prescribe a shock treatment kit, and to learn how to apply the adrenaline injection to yourself, if necessary.
In addition, friends and family members should be warned about the allergy and taught them how to use the emergency kit, and it is also important to wear a bracelet that informs about the allergy in public places and crowds, to facilitate first aid.
How the treatment is done at the hospital
At the hospital, the patient in anaphylactic shock will quickly be treated with an oxygen mask to facilitate breathing and medicine in the vein with adrenaline, which will act in the body, reducing the allergic reaction and normalizing the person's vital functions. See more details of the treatment in Anaphylactic Shock.
