When should I go to the ER for allergic reaction?

"Anytime your breathing is compromised, or you feel like your face or tongue are starting to swell up, or you start to have stridor — that squeaky kind of breathing — you need to make sure you're calling 911 and getting to the nearest emergency room," she adds.

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When should you go to the ER over an allergic reaction?

“When there is swelling around the lips or back of the throat, that's when we get concerned,” Dr. Larson says. “That could compromise someone's ability to breathe.” Throat swelling or closure is a sign of anaphylaxis, the most severe type of allergic reaction that, without treatment, can lead to death.

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Can the ER do anything for allergic reaction?

Sometimes the symptoms can come back even stronger after several hours. This is referred to as biphasic anaphylaxis. The ER medical personnel will monitor the patient and provide additional medications ensuring the allergic symptoms are under control. Many allergic reactions can be managed with the right medical care.

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How do I know if my allergic reaction is severe?

Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat. Shortness of breath, trouble breathing or wheezing (whistling sound during breathing) Dizziness and/or fainting. Stomach pain, bloating, vomiting, or diarrhea.

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When you go to the hospital for an allergic reaction What do they do?

Epinephrine (adrenaline) to reduce the body's allergic response. Oxygen, to help you breathe. Intravenous (IV) antihistamines and cortisone to reduce inflammation of the air passages and improve breathing. A beta-agonist (such as albuterol) to relieve breathing symptoms.

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When Should I Go to the ER if I Have an Allergic Reaction? - David Feldman, MD - Emergency Medicine

19 related questions found

What are the 3 stages of an allergic reaction?

3 stages of an allergic reaction
  • Prodrome: The first stage of an allergic reaction and usually occurs within minutes of exposure to the allergen. ...
  • Early reaction: Occurs within minutes to hours after exposure to the allergen. ...
  • Late reaction: Occurs several hours to days after exposure to the allergen.

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What are 3 signs of an allergic reaction?

itchy skin or a raised rash (hives) diarrhoea. feeling or being sick. swollen eyes, lips, mouth or throat.

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What are 4 common signs of anaphylaxis?

About anaphylaxis
  • itchy skin or a raised, red skin rash.
  • swollen eyes, lips, hands and feet.
  • feeling lightheaded or faint.
  • swelling of the mouth, throat or tongue, which can cause breathing and swallowing difficulties.
  • wheezing.
  • abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
  • collapse and unconsciousness.

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What is considered a bad allergic reaction?

Anaphylaxis symptoms occur suddenly and can progress quickly. The early symptoms may be mild, such as a runny nose, a skin rash or a “strange feeling.” These symptoms can quickly lead to more serious problems, including: Trouble breathing. Hives or swelling.

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How long should an allergic reaction last?

Your allergies will last as long as your allergen exposure. Once you're no longer around allergens, your symptoms should go away after a few hours. However, if you have inhalant allergies, your symptoms may last for several days or longer due to ongoing exposure to pets, dust mites and pollens.

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What does the hospital do for hives?

For a severe attack of hives or angioedema, you may need a trip to the emergency room and an emergency injection of epinephrine — a type of adrenaline.

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How can you tell the difference between an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis?

Key points to remember

Allergic reactions are common in children. Most reactions are mild. A severe allergic reaction (i.e. anaphylaxis) involves a person's breathing and/or circulation. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of an allergic reaction and is life threatening.

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What does anaphylaxis feel like at first?

Signs and symptoms include: Skin reactions, including hives and itching and flushed or pale skin. Low blood pressure (hypotension) Constriction of the airways and a swollen tongue or throat, which can cause wheezing and trouble breathing.

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What are the 3 criteria for anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a serious, rapid-onset, allergic reaction that may cause death. Severe anaphylaxis is characterized by life-threatening upper airway obstruction, bronchospasm and/or hypotension.

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What are mild to moderate signs anaphylaxis?

Mild to moderate allergic reaction

Swelling of lips, face & eyes. Hives or welts. Tingling mouth. Abdominal pain, vomiting (these are signs of anaphylaxis for insect allergy)

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What 6 things should you look for in an allergic reaction?

Main allergy symptoms
  • sneezing and an itchy, runny or blocked nose (allergic rhinitis)
  • itchy, red, watering eyes (conjunctivitis)
  • wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and a cough.
  • a raised, itchy, red rash (hives)
  • swollen lips, tongue, eyes or face.
  • tummy pain, feeling sick, vomiting or diarrhoea.

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What are the two stages of allergic reaction?

The Allergic Response

Allergic responses have two phases: the acute and the chronic, observed as Wheal and Flare. This generally occurs rapidly after allergen exposure (<1hour).

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Can you have minor anaphylaxis?

Some people may experience a mild anaphylactic reaction and not go into shock. For example, they may experience hives and difficulty breathing after accidentally eating a food allergen. They may not see a sudden drop in blood pressure that leads to anaphylactic shock.

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What is the difference between a mild and severe allergic reaction?

Additional Indicators of an Allergic Reaction

Itching is also considered a mild symptom that can appear alongside both of these warning signs. In severe or anaphylactic reactions, patients may experience swelling that occurs in their face, tongue, or even their eyes.

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Can you survive anaphylactic shock without epipen?

Fatal outcomes due to anaphylaxis are rare,25, 26 and around 80% of reactions resolve without (or despite no treatment with) adrenaline. However, severe reactions cannot be predicted,1 thus all anaphylaxis reactions must be treated as potentially life-threatening.

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When are hives bad enough to go to the ER?

Gan Su, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Medical City Arlington, says the main signs that should send you running to an emergency room with an allergic reaction include: Hives all over your body. Breathing problems.

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At what point should I be worried about hives?

If you have hives along with fever, nausea, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, and a drop in blood pressure after a bee sting, insect bite, or drug injection, that can be a sign of a life-threatening allergy.

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Should I call ambulance for hives?

Call 911 if: You have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. These may include: Sudden raised, red areas (hives) all over your body.

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Do hives get worse before they get better?

The wheals generally appear in clusters, with one cluster getting worse as another gets better. Most wheals disappear without a trace within a few hours, only to be replaced by a new one elsewhere on the skin.

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