When you experience a severe allergic reaction, you may experience anaphylaxis. When this happens, your body is flooded with chemicals which can lead to ...HealthlineSubscribeAnaphylacticShock:WhatYouNeedtoKnowMedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPH—WrittenbyAnaGotter—UpdatedonMarch22,2019SymptomsCausesandriskfactorsComplicationsSeeadoctorTreatmentOutlookWhatisanaphylacticshock?Forsomepeoplewithsevereallergies,whenthey’reexposedtosomethingthey’reallergicto,theymayexperienceapotentiallylife-threateningreactioncalledanaphylaxis.Asaresult,theirimmunesystemreleaseschemicalsthatfloodthebody.Thiscanleadtoanaphylacticshock.Whenyourbodygoesintoanaphylacticshock,yourbloodpressuresuddenlydropsandyourairwaysnarrow,possiblyblockingnormalbreathing.Thisconditionisdangerous.Ifitisn’ttreatedimmediately,itcanresultinseriouscomplicationsandevenbefatal.Whatarethesymptomsofanaphylacticshock?You’llexperiencesymptomsofanaphylaxisbeforeanaphylacticshocksetsin.Thesesymptomsshouldn’tbeignored.Symptomsofanaphylaxisinclude:skinreactionssuchashives,flushedskin,orpalenesssuddenlyfeelingtoowarmfeelinglikeyouhavealumpinyourthroatordifficultyswallowingnausea,vomiting,ordiarrheaabdominalpainaweakandrapidpulserunnynoseandsneezingswollentongueorlipswheezingordifficultybreathingasensethatsomethingiswrongwithyourbodytinglinghands,feet,mouth,orscalpIfyouthinkyou’reexperiencinganaphylaxis,seekmedicalattentionimmediately.Ifanaphylaxishasprogressedtoanaphylacticshock,thesymptomsinclude:strugglingtobreathedizzinessconfusionsuddenfeelingofweaknesslossofconsciousnessWhatarethecausesandriskfactorsofanaphylaxis?Anaphylaxisiscausedbyanoverreactionofyourimmunesystemtoanallergen,orsomethingyourbodyisallergicto.Inturn,anaphylaxiscanresultinanaphylacticshock.Commontriggersforanaphylaxisinclude:certainmedicationssuchaspenicillininsectstingsfoodssuchas:treenutsshellfishmilkeggsagentsusedinimmunotherapylatexInrarecases,exerciseandaerobicactivitysuchasrunningcantriggeranaphylaxis.Sometimesacauseforthisreactionisneverid