When you feel sudden hot flashes on your face, tightness in your chest, difficulty in breathing, and start to panic as your fear builds, it is possible that it is an allergic reaction. Here's how to deal with allergic reactions.
Steps
Step 1. Be aware that there are different types of allergic reactions
There are minor and major reactions, and the approaches to treating them depend on how severe they are.
Step 2. Treat minor allergic reactions
These usually present with redness, rash, hives and itching. While the urge to scratch isn't pleasant, these reactions won't kill you.
- Immediately stop taking any medications that may have triggered them.
- If the cause is an animal, move away from the area. Moving the dog away does not solve the problem of the hair that has been shed around.
- Take an antihistamine. Take an antihistamine tablet if you have no trouble staying awake, or a cough or cold syrup if you want to sleep.
- To treat the rash, apply different types of creams and sprays. Hydrocortisone should always be a product present in the home of an allergic person. There are also those that you can have on prescription. Some pharmacies sell an anti-itch spray that contains zinc acetate.
- Other tips are taking a bath using oatmeal and avoiding sunlight. Preventing the mild allergic reaction from turning into a real crisis is the primary goal.
Step 3. Deal with a severe allergic reaction immediately
In this case, breathing will be difficult and obvious spots may form on the upper torso and face.
- Get a prescription for Epipen (adrenaline auto-injector) if you've never gone to an emergency room for severe reactions. Keep one at work and one at home. If for some reason the ambulance is slow to reach you, this device could save your life. Keep an eye on the expiration date; it's like car insurance. It is better to have it and never use it, rather than not having it when you need it.
- Hospitals will usually give you adrenaline in some form. Make sure you have someone to keep an eye on you later. You will have a hard time standing up.
- Prednisone is a well-known drug prescribed after an attack. It is a corticosteroid that should not be taken for too long. Some people report feelings of euphoria when taking it, and depression when they stop taking it. Other characteristic reactions are insomnia when taking it and irritability when treatment is stopped.
- Record your side effects so you can discuss them with your doctor.
Step 4. Find out what is causing the allergic reactions
For some individuals, there is a family history. Find out if others in your family suffer from similar reactions to yours. What do they have in common?
Step 5. If your doctor prescribes more than one new drug, take them in different weeks
Then, if you have a reaction, you will know which one caused it. Keep in mind that it may be only one ingredient in medications, foods, etc. that is causing the reaction.
Also, consider drug interactions or dosages. Finding out what causes allergic reactions is a job that could take decades. Be patient, record your findings and share them with a family member. If you end up in an emergency department unable to speak, it is important that someone can tell the doctors about your medical history
Advice
- Purchase a variety of antihistamines. They have different ingredients, and some may work better on you than others.
- Be aware of drug interactions.
- Avoid scented creams, soaps, etc.
- Consider prescribing corticosteroid creams and ointments (such as 0.1% Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment), instead of using Prednisone. These will not affect mood, sleep, habits, weight, etc., unlike pills.
- Visit a dermatologist. He will be better informed about the latest medications available for allergies, dermatitis, etc., than a general practitioner.
- Keep the Epipen in a safe and easily accessible place in case of emergency.
- If you only have watery eyes or itchy nose, take a wet washcloth and apply it to your nose.
- If you need to scratch, make sure your hands and nails are perfectly clean.
- Be aware of the dosages.
- Avoid sunlight.
