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First Aid for Anaphylaxis |
It can happen from exposure to a peanut, or a bee sting or a medication…and more. And it can happen in seconds, or there may be a delayed reaction. It’s anaphylaxis, a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. You may not be at risk for it but a friend or family member may be, and that person will need your help.
What you may see can be frightening. The first sign could be swelling of the face, eyes, lips and throat, hives, or redness of the skin.
Some of the most dangerous symptoms are swelling of the airway or breathing problems, a drop in blood pressure, shock, or nausea or loss of consciousness, all of which can be fatal. The allergic person may also have a feeling of great anxiety.
If you are with someone having signs of anaphylaxis, don’t wait to see whether symptoms get better.
Important first aid measures include:
“Immediately call 911 or your local medical emergency number.
Ask the person if he or she is carrying an epinephrine autoinjector to treat an allergic attack (for example, EpiPen, Twinject).
If the person says he or she needs to use an autoinjector, ask whether you should help inject the medication. This is usually done by pressing the autoinjector against the person's outer thigh.
Have the person lie still on his or her back with legs elevated.
Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Don't give the person anything to drink.
If there's vomiting or bleeding from the mouth, turn the person on his or her side to prevent choking.
If there are no signs of breathing, coughing or movement, begin CPR. Do uninterrupted chest presses of about two a second until paramedics arrive.
Get emergency treatment even if symptoms start to improve. After anaphylaxis, it's possible for symptoms to recur. Monitoring in a hospital setting for several hours is usually necessary.”
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