When you visit your doctor, they will always ask you if you have any drug allergies. If you have any drug allergies, it is important to tell the doctor because of the severe reactions that can occur.
Drug
allergies occur when there is an allergic reaction to a medication. Histamines
and other chemicals are released in your body, and these chemicals trigger
your immune system. Your immune system becomes triggered when the the
medication is used for the first time. The next time the medication is
taken an allergic reaction occurs.
Drug allergies can cause skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, hives, itchy skin, wheezing, swelling of the lips and asthma. Sometimes, a life-threatening reaction involving the whole body can occur, called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, cough, blueness of the skin, fainting, dizziness, anxiety, confusion, rapid pulse and belly cramps.
Penicillin and other antibiotics are the most common cause of drug allergies. Other common allergy-causing drugs include sulfa drugs, insulin, local anesthetics and iodine. Doctors don't know of any way to prevent the development of a drug allergy.
If you do have an allergic reaction medications like antihistamines can help relieve the rash, hives and itching. Sometimes steroids and creams may also be used. Bronchodilators may be used to reduce asthma-like symptoms such as wheezing and cough. If an allergic reaction is very severe, a shot of Epinephrine is used to treat anaphylaxis.
If you do have a drug allergy, you should wear a Medic-Alert bracelet on your wrist to identify your drug allergy. Most drug allergies can be treated.
Hives are red, itchy, raised areas on the skin that appear as an allergic skin reaction. There can be one or many hives that vary in size and shape, and can appear on any part of your body. Hives are most common on your arms legs and stomach area. Hives can last just for a few minutes, or they can be chronic, which means they last for several months. Acute hives can be from an allergic reaction to a food, medicine, insect bite, infection, or stress. Doctors don't know why people get chronic hives. Hives can go away on their own, but they often come back.
Hives form when a histamine is released in your body as an allergic reaction to something. If you get hives, your doctor will ask you about:
- foods (often, milk,eggs, seafood, nuts)
- medicines (such as penicillin or sulfa)
- plants (such as nettles) and pollens
- animals or bugs bites
- exposure to heat or cold
- exposure to sunshine
Your doctor will examine you and may ask you to keep a diary of everything you eat, drink, or play near for 2 to 4 weeks. It is easiest to find drugs, foods, or plants that are causing your hives because you will usually get them within an hour of exposure. If you can't figure out what is causing them, you may require skin and blood test by an allergist.
Your treatment will depend on how serious your hives are. To relieve the itching and reduce the swelling, you can:
- Soak in a lukewarm water or use cool compresses
- Avoid heat or rubbing the skin
- Take an antihistamine medicine to reduce your allergic response
- Avoid foods that seem to cause you to break out
- If you have a known severe allergy, such as to a bee sting, peanuts or seafood, ask your doctor about carrying Epipen, which you can take if you have a reaction
- If you have a very serious reaction, you may receive an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) to stop your body's reaction
- If the rash is severe or not going away after you try the do the treatments, you may need to take oral steroids, which your doctor can give you
Some allergic reactions are emergencies. Call 911 or your doctor if:
- You have an allergic response that affects your breathing
- If your hives suddenly appear and are spreading quickly
- If there are signs of anaphylaxis such as chest tightness, difficult breathing or wheezing,
When some people are stung by yellow jackets, bees, wasps, hornets and fire ants, they have an allergic reaction. Many people are allergic and don't even know it!
In the USA yellow jackets account for most of the allergic reactions. In Europe most reactions are caused by honey bees and wasps. Allergic reactions to fire ants are more common in the southern part of the USA. Allergy to insect bites like mosquitoes are common in warmer climates.
An insect sting may not cause a reaction on the first sting, but on the second sting, a very strong allergic reaction may occur. People who know they are allergic to insect stings should see a doctor every time they get stung, regardless of their reaction. An important method of prevention is allergy shots which are very effective against the venom of insect stings. These shots increase your body's tolerance to insect venom and help prevent severe reactions if a person is stung.
An insect sting allergy usually begins a few minutes after the sting. Reactions that happen within minutes are more severe. Reactions that take up to a few days to develop are less severe. Mildly sensitive people may have hives with intense itching and pain around the site as well as eye itching. This can be treated with a paste of baking soda and an application of a cold, wet cloth, or ice cubes. Medications like antihistamines, hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, reduce itching and swelling.
For very sensitive people immediate medical attention is needed. If you have a severe insect allergy, always have epinephrine available in the form of an Epi-pen or Ana-kit. Those who have severe allergies should learn what to do when bitten or stung. It is a good idea to teach family members how to respond in an emergency. A medical alert bracelet should also be worn around your wrist if you are highly allergic to insect stings. When someone with a severe allergic reaction is stung, you should watch for symptoms of anaphylaxis. Severe symptoms include:
- wheezing
- rapid pulse
- a swollen throat and tongue
- difficult breathing
- nausea and vomiting
- severe drop in blood pressure
- confusion
- severe anxiety
- severe stomach cramps
To help prevent you from getting stung by insects:
- do not walk barefoot
- do not eat or drink when you are outdoors
- wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts
- do not use perfume or cologne
- do not wear bright-colored clothing, because that attracts insects
- do not disturb bee hives or hornet nests
- keep garbage cans tightly covered so insects are not attracted
Have you ever had poison ivy? If you have, you know that it really iches.Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are the most common plants that cause allergic skin reactions. These plants affect 60-70% of people. The leaflets of poison ivy are found in North America, Europe and Asia. They like to grow in the woods, in your yard, in parks - just about anywhere!
Oil in these plants causes an allergic reaction. You can be exposed to the oil through contact with the plants - which means that if you are walking through the woods, be careful! The oil can get on clothing, shoes and even on pets fur! If someone is burning one of these plants, even the smoke can expose you to the oil in the air. The rash usually appears one to three days after contact and will be red, very itchy and forms pimples and large blisters. It can affect your body where ever the oil touches your skin.
All clothes, shoes, camping, fishing and hunting gear should all be washed with soap and water. Also, be sure to wash pets that may have come in contact with the plants, because the oil will stay on their fur for a long time, and they will spread the oil around your house. The oil from these plants can remain active in your house and on your clothes for months.
The fluid of the blisters does not spread the rash. It is only contagious if the oil remains on the skin and is touched by another person, or if someone is exposed to the oil some other way. In a few days the blisters become crusted and begin to scale. The rash usually heals within two weeks. Washing all exposed areas in cool running water and soap will keep the oil from spreading to other parts of the body. Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth and face, and try not to scratch or rub the rash.
What to do if you get the rash:
- Cool compresses and cool showers may help the itching
- Baking soda baths will help dry the lesions
- Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream can help with the itching and inflammation
- Antihistamines such as Benadryl will also help
- In cases of a severe allergic reaction, a physician may prescribe oral steroids
- If there are other severe symptoms or if the rash appears infected with pus, you should go to a doctor.
While allergic reactions to poison ivy and poison oak are rarely serious, it is important to to recognize these plants and stay away from them.
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