Am I Having an Allergic Reaction that needs Emergency Treatment?
Last Updated: 29th December 2022 · Written by Kate Young
The subject of allergy testing is a very pertinent one at this moment in time, as a number of high-profile deaths have been caused by incorrect allergy labelling at one of the UK’s largest sandwich shop chains. What these tragedies serve to highlight is that allergic reactions are a very real threat to health and to life itself. The most worrying thing is that without allergy testing, none of us really know if we’re at risk and if we can’t trust food manufacturers’ own labels about what their food contains, there’s a question that needs to be asked: If I’m having one, am I having an allergic reaction that needs emergency treatment?
The fact is that an allergic reaction to any given food type can develop at any point in our lives, which means that recognising the signs of a reaction is a good thing to know. Allergy testing, which can be used to effectively determine foods that your body has a problem dealing with, is something that we’ll elaborate on, but right now, we’ll look at the telltale signs that you’re having a reaction.
Signs of an Allergic Reaction
Without wishing to overplay the facts, being able to spot the symptoms associated with anaphylactic shock – the most severe type of reaction – and administer an EpiPen or other relevant medication, can in all truth, save yours or someone else’s life. In this situation, every moment counts.
Symptoms can vary a lot from one person to the next and each separate reaction can even manifest differently in the same person. However, all of the most common types to look out for, tend to fall within the following group:
● Itchiness in the mouth or throat.
● Any type of difficulty in breathing, such as wheezing or coughing.
● Difficulty swallowing.
● Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or stomach pain.
● An itchy redness to the skin, including raised red bumps, hives or welts.
● Mental confusion.
● Tightness or discomfort in the chest.
● Lightheadedness or dizziness.
● Low blood pressure, rapid pulse or heart palpitations.
● Fainting or loss of consciousness.
Important note: If you encounter any of the symptoms from the above list, it should be considered as an emergency and treated as anaphylaxis. This would usually involve the use of an EpiPen and calling an ambulance via 999, even if the symptoms pass.
Biphasic anaphylaxis is something that can come back even stronger after a few hours and getting medical attention is highly recommended. Don’t assume that everything’s ok, consult a medical professional as soon as possible.
Take Control
In order to manage food allergies properly, you need to know exactly what your body is allergic to. That’s where allergy testing comes in and at Lifelab Testing, we provide laboratory blood screening services from as little as £74.99. You’ll be tested against 25 key food and drink allergies, which will give you all you need to know about what foods to avoid and enable you to create strategies for coping with an attack.
Find out more about allergy testing and the wide range of services we provide on our website or give us a call now on 01332 32 18 92.
Click here to give our gluten-free halloween sweets blog a read.