For some people with severe allergies, exposure to their allergen can result in a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic ...HealthlineSubscribeAnaphylaxisMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,Ph.D.,CRNP—WrittenbyAprilKahn—UpdatedonAugust17,2018SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsPreventionWhatIsAnaphylaxis?Forsomepeoplewithsevereallergies,exposuretotheirallergencanresultinalife-threateningreactioncalledanaphylaxis.Anaphylaxisisasevereallergicreactiontovenom,food,ormedication.Mostcasesarecausedbyabeestingoreatingfoodsthatareknowntocauseallergies,suchaspeanutsortreenuts.Anaphylaxiscausesaseriesofsymptoms,includingarash,lowpulse,andshock,whichisknownasanaphylacticshock.Thiscanbefatalifitisn’ttreatedimmediately.Onceyou’vebeendiagnosed,yourhealthcareproviderwilllikelyrecommendthatyoucarryamedicationcalledepinephrinewithyouatalltimes.Thismedicationcanstopfuturereactionsfrombecominglife-threatening.RecognizingTheSignsofAnaphylaxisSymptomsusuallyoccurimmediatelyafteryoucomeintocontactwiththeallergen.Thesecaninclude:abdominalpainanxietyconfusioncoughingrashslurredspeechfacialswellingtroublebreathinglowpulsewheezingdifficultyswallowingitchyskinswellinginmouthandthroatnauseashockWhatCausesAnaphylaxis?Yourbodyisinconstantcontactwithforeignsubstances.Itproducesantibodiestodefenditselffromthesesubstances.Inmostcases,thebodydoesn’treacttotheantibodiesbeingreleased.However,inthecaseofanaphylaxis,theimmunesystemoverreactsinawaythatcausesafull-bodyallergicreaction.Commoncausesofanaphylaxisincludemedication,peanuts,treenuts,insectstings,fish,shellfish,andmilk.Othercausesmayincludeexerciseandlatex.HowIsAnaphylaxisDiagnosed?Youwillmostlikelybediagnosedwithanaphylaxisifthefollowingsymptomsarepresent:mentalconfusionthroatswellingweaknessordizzinessblueskinrapidorabnormalheartratefacialswellinghiveslowbloodpressurewheezingWhileyouareintheemergencyroom,thehealthcareproviderwilluseastethoscopetolistenforcracklingsoundswhenyoubreathe.Cracklingsounds