What is Anaphylaxis? Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Have you ever wondered why many schools have banned peanut butter in kids’ lunches over the past several years? Have you ever been in the hospital, told the doctor about your allergies, and had to wear a red ‘Allergy’ band along with your identification band? Or do you have a friend or family member who has to carry an Epi-pen around? In all of these cases, it’s not just due to allergies, but due to the risk of a particularly severe type of allergic reaction known as Anaphylaxis.
What is Anaphylaxis:
Put simply, Anaphylaxis is a rare allergic reaction that is nevertheless extremely dangerous; if left untreated it can be fatal within a very brief period of time. The good news is if medical interventions are begun quickly, the reaction can be stopped and the patient’s life can be saved.
What Exactly is an Allergy:
Before we talk about Anaphylaxis, you might be wondering what exactly an allergy is. Maybe you or a loved one was recently diagnosed, or you received a notice from your child’s school about allergies and are a little confused. Basically, an allergy is caused by your body’s immune system mistaking an seemingly harmless material for something harmful. The body’s immune system is pretty impressive; it not only destroys any harmful pathogens that get past our skin and other external defenses, but it also creates antibodies that protect you should that same pathogen try and infect you again. This is why you only get certain diseases once, and it’s why vaccines work so well to protect against more harmful pathogens.
So with that in mind, an allergy occurs when that powerful immune response is turned against an inappropriate target. It is generally a totally harmless substance, or one that does not warrant the level of immune response it receives. Either way, the immune system treats it as though it’s a dangerous pathogen and manufactures antibodies against it. Most people are familiar with Hay Fever, which is an allergic reaction to various types of grass, weeds, or tree pollens. However, allergies can develop to just about anything you come into contact with, including cosmetics, proteins in foods, certain types of metals, medications, insect venoms, and other substances encountered naturally.
Anaphylaxis Can be Fatal:
While most allergic reactions are minor-to-moderate annoyances, Anaphylaxis
is a different matter entirely. Also known as Anaphylactic Shock, it’s a systemic reaction that generally involves multiple body systems. When the immune system encounters an antigen (another name for allergen), it binds to the antigen and releases histamine and other compounds. These compounds cause the classic symptoms as they cause bronchial constriction, increase the leakage of fluids from blood vessels, and can cause depression of the heart muscle.
How Common is it?
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