The treatment for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome needs to be started with the identification of the cause that led to the changes in the skin, so that this factor can be removed before starting treatment aimed at improving complications and symptoms.
Thus, and as in most cases, the syndrome appears as the side effect of a specific medication (usually an antibiotic) the doctor needs to stop the use of this medication, guiding a new treatment for the problem that was being treated, in addition to the treatment for the syndrome.
Since this syndrome is a very serious problem, which can be life-threatening, treatment usually needs to be done in an ICU with serum and medication directly in the vein, in addition to frequent monitoring of vital signs.
Better understand what the symptoms of this syndrome are and why it happens.
Remedies to relieve symptoms
After removing all medications that may have caused the development of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, the doctor usually prescribes the use of other remedies to relieve symptoms:
- Analgesics, to relieve pain in the affected areas of the skin; Corticosteroids, to reduce inflammation of the skin layers; Antiseptic mouthwash, to clean the mouth, slightly numb the mucosa and allow feeding; Anti-inflammatory eye drops, to reduce possible eye complications.
In addition, it is also common to make regular dressings to the affected regions of the skin, using compresses moistened with petroleum jelly to help regenerate the skin, reduce discomfort and remove layers of dead skin. Some type of moisturizing cream can also be used to apply to the regions around the lesions, to prevent them from increasing in size.
In the most severe cases, in addition to all the treatment described, it may still be necessary to maintain the use of the serum directly in the vein to maintain the hydration of the body, as well as insert a nasogastric tube to allow feeding, if the mucosa of the mouth is too affected. In some cases, the doctor may even prescribe formulas rich in calories and nutrients to help a person maintain their nutritional status and facilitate recovery.
Possible complications
Because it affects large areas of the skin, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome can have very serious complications, especially when treatment is not started in time. This is because skin lesions significantly decrease the body's defenses, which ends up facilitating generalized infections in the body and the failure of several vital organs.
Thus, whenever there is a suspicion of an abnormal reaction to some type of medication being taken, it is very important to go to the hospital to assess the situation and start the appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
Check out some symptoms to watch out for to identify a reaction to the drug.
