Some people think that allergies are harmless. But many immunopathological reactions can cause significant harm, even death. Perhaps, each person should know how to provide assistance in the event of these types of allergies. From this publication you can learn what to do with Quincke's edema.
What is this allergy?
Quincke's edema (or giant urticaria) is an acute allergic reaction in which there is extensive inflammation and swelling of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, fascia and mucous membranes. The disease affects both adults and children of any gender. Its main feature is the sudden appearance, rapid spread and abrupt disappearance with proper treatment.
How to recognize swelling?
This ailment can be diagnosed by the following signs:
Swelling of individual areas. It can be observed on the eyelids, cheeks, lips, mucous membranes of the mouth (palate, tongue, tonsils). Sometimes there is swelling of the genitourinary system. It can be recognized by the difficultyurination, pain in the lower abdomen and constant urge to go to the toilet
Swelling of the respiratory system. The larynx is mainly affected: there is hoarseness, a sharp cough and shortness of breath
Change in skin tone in the affected area. At first, the area becomes bluish, and then pallor appears
Seizures may indicate cerebral edema
Due to the affected digestive tract, dyspeptic disorders, peritonitis, acute pain syndrome occur
In rare cases, loss of consciousness is present
Severe swelling causes panic in the patient, which only aggravates the situation. Even if there is one symptom, vigilance should be exercised, because it can be a severe form of allergy - Quincke's edema. What to do in this case, you just need to know. If no action is taken, asphyxia may begin. In turn, if it is inactive, it turns into a fatal outcome.
How quickly the disease develops
With Quincke's edema, help should be provided in the very first minutes, in some cases - within a few hours. Usually giant urticaria begins suddenly and develops rapidly. If this is a reaction to some kind of allergen, then the symptoms are noticeable after 5-30 minutes. With proper treatment, they may disappear in a few hours or days. With a non-allergic pathology, swelling becomes noticeable after 2-3 hours. Symptoms disappear after two or three days.
Help Algorithm
What ifQuincke's edema started? Action should be taken immediately by doing the following:
- Definitely need to call an ambulance. Edema can take over the airways, leading to suffocation. If there is damage to the larynx or pharynx, you should definitely tell the dispatcher about it. Then a team of doctors will arrive first of all to such a victim, because every second is precious. Intensive care or even resuscitation may be required.
- Calm yourself and calm the victim. Emotional stress only exacerbates the development of negative processes.
- If you know the allergen, then you need to stop contact with him. For example, stop eating, taking medicine, extracting the sting of an insect, and so on.
- In order to facilitate breathing, place the patient in a sitting or semi-sitting position. Take off your tie, loosen your waistband or belt, unbutton your shirt, and so on. It is also necessary to open windows to ensure a good flow of air into the room. This will help relieve the symptoms of angioedema.
- What to do before the arrival of the medical team? Try your best to reduce swelling. If the allergy is due to an insect bite, injection into the arm or leg, then a tourniquet should be applied above the swollen area. If other parts of the body were affected or there were other reasons, then a cold object must be applied to the affected area. But it is important not to overdo it, otherwise, in addition, you can cause frostbite.
- Give the victim an antihistamine. Most often in the home first aid kit there are suchfunds like Suprastin, Tavegil, Loratadin, Claritin, Diazolin, Fenkarol and Ketotifen. You can use more powerful medicines. These include Zirtek, Zodak, Cetirinax, Cetrin, Cetirizine, Eridez, Erius, Desloratadine, Telfast and Fexofenadine. If only the nasal sinuses are swollen, then it is permissible to use vasoconstrictor drops that have a local effect, for example, Naphthyzinum.
It is worth noting that the tablets are acceptable for mild allergies. With a strongly pronounced immunopathological reaction, intramuscular and intravenous drugs will be much more effective.
If the above funds were not at home, then in extreme cases a sorbent will do. It's better than nothing. The patient can be given activated charcoal (tablet per 10 kilograms of weight).
Also, with giant urticaria, you need to drink a lot. It is better to offer the victim "Borjomi" or a prepared alkaline solution (take 1 gram of soda per liter of boiling water).
All this is necessary for Quincke's edema to do before the ambulance arrives. What will not be in time is not scary. The doctors themselves will take whatever action is necessary.
Peculiarities of helping a child
It is important that adults do not show their fear. Demonstrating confidence in the normal outcome will help the baby cope with his emotions. Even with mild edema, you should immediately call an ambulance. After all, giant urticaria is a serious illness, and first aid must be provided immediately.
What to do with swellingQuincke? In principle, the algorithm is the same as mentioned above. But there are some nuances here:
- If trouble happened to a baby who is not yet able to sit, then it should be laid in a horizontal position. It is recommended to put a pillow under your feet. This will help improve blood circulation.
- If a sting acts as an allergen, then it should be carefully pulled out. If the cause is pollen, wipe the face, hands and body with a damp towel. Otherwise, apply a cold compress.
- Give the child one of the sorbents. "Enterosgel" (at 2-3 years old - 2 teaspoons, for babies - a teaspoon). "Smekta" (up to a year - 1 sachet, at an older age - one sachet in the morning and evening). Activated charcoal (up to three years - 3 tablets, then one tablet per 10 kilograms of weight).
- Give an antihistamine according to age dosage. For example, Fenistil, Fenkarol, Claritin.
- Provide plenty of alkaline fluids if the baby does not have a metabolic disorder.
What else to do with Quincke's edema in a child? It is advisable to collect his things, because children are often hospitalized. If doctors suggest this, you should not refuse, especially if the disease has occurred for the first time. The hospital will monitor the patient's condition and conduct the necessary examinations.
Peculiarities of helping pregnant women
For women who are breastfeeding or carrying a child, almost all medications are prohibited. However, possible complications frommedications are much less dangerous than Quincke's edema during pregnancy. What to do in this case? The answer depends on the presence of contraindications to a particular group of drugs. Only the attending physician can recommend the medicine. If you have to act urgently, then it is advisable to use medications that eliminate the symptoms of allergies. Usually, with giant urticaria, doctors allow pregnant women such remedies as Zyrtec, Claritin, L-Cet. To reduce vascular permeability, you can take calcium gluconate.
What will the ambulance do?
After arrival, a team of doctors, as a rule, examines the patient and injects the drug intramuscularly or intravenously, if an early effect is required. What injection is given for Quincke's edema? Most often it is "Prednisolone" or "Dexamethasone". The dosage is selected individually depending on body weight. Hydrocortisone may be administered to prevent airway inflammation.
If anaphylactic shock is observed, then the patient is placed on the bed so that the legs are lower than the head. After that, "Epinephrine" is introduced to increase the greatly reduced pressure. Doctors monitor breathing and pulse. Asphyxia requires a tracheostomy (dissection of the trachea) followed by hospitalization.
Also, doctors can prescribe antihistamines - Suprastin, Diprazin, Diphenhydramine, diuretics for faster excretion of the allergen in the urine - Lasix, Mannitol. Sometimes detoxification methods (enterosorption, hemosorption) are recommended.
Ambulance doctors will tell you what to do with Quincke's edema. First aid must be provided in a timely manner - this is the main condition for recovery, which can occur in a few hours.
How is giant urticaria treated?
Therapy of this disease is aimed at eliminating acute edema and restoring vital functions. The following medicines are prescribed for this:
- "Adrenaline" - for low blood pressure.
- "Dexamethasone", "Prednisolone" - to relieve the main manifestations of edema.
- "Suprastin", "Dimedrol" injection - to eliminate an allergic reaction.
- "Glucose", "Reopoliglyukin", "Hemodez" - to remove toxins and get out of a state of shock.
- "Mannitol", "Furosemide" - to eliminate the allergen and the outflow of excess fluid at high and normal pressure.
- "Dexamethasone" together with "Eufillin" - to relieve bronchial spasm and other things.
And what to do with Quincke's edema, if it has a non-allergic nature? In this case, the treatment usually consists of a blood plasma transfusion and taking drugs such as Kontrykal, Z-aminocaproic acid. If the disease is not in the acute stage, then therapy may include the following measures:
- Exclusion of certain stimuli.
- Taking antihistamines (Suprastin, Loratadine, Cetirizine).
- Short course of hormonal medications (Dexazone, Prednisolone).
- The use of drugs that reduce vascular permeability and strengthen the nervous system("Calcium", "Ascorutin", various vitamin complexes).
Food
We figured out what to do with angioedema. First aid includes the exclusion of a possible allergen, which often becomes a certain product. But even after an attack, it is necessary to monitor the diet so that the therapy is successful. Patients are advised to follow a special diet, which is compiled on an individual basis.
First of all, you should exclude products that cause direct or cross-allergy. The following food belongs to the first category:
- Chicken, milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, cocoa. They often provoke "true" allergic reactions.
- From plant foods, avoid spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, bananas and citrus fruits.
- You need to refuse products that contain nitrogen-containing extractives. These are fried, stewed fish and meat dishes, broths, legumes (peas, beans, lentils), coffee, cocoa, black tea, chocolate, spices.
- Do not eat foods that contain synthetic additives. These include flavor stabilizers, flavors (glutamates, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, menthol), colors (erythrosine, azorubine, tartrazine, amaranth, and others), preservatives (nitrites, sulfites, benzoic acid, and so on).
- Wine is also banned.
- With caution, you need to include food rich in histamine and biogenic amine in the menu. These are shellfish, some fish (tuna, herring,cod), cheese, rhubarb and sauerkraut.
Cross-allergy occurs due to the simultaneous intake of certain foods and substances. This often provokes the development of angioedema. What to do to avoid this? The following combinations must be excluded:
- Apples + pears, quince, cherries or cherries.
- Cow's milk + beef, veal or goat's milk.
- Nuts during the hazel blossom season.
- Seafood + fish. That is, the last product cannot be eaten with shellfish, shrimp, crabs, and so on.
- Bread and cereals during the flowering of oats, wheat, rye or wheatgrass.
- Kefir + moldy cheeses or mushrooms, penicillin antibiotics.
- Acetylsalicylic Acid + Raspberries, Strawberries, Grapes, Apricots, Plums or Peaches.
- Chicken egg + Lysozyme, Interferon.
It is necessary to carefully approach the preparation of the patient's diet. From the list it is necessary to exclude possible allergens, a combination of products and medicines. This will help minimize the risk of an immunopathological reaction.
Folk remedies
In the treatment of diseases, some resort to traditional medicine. Such funds can help alleviate the condition with Quincke's edema. What to do at home? Here are some recipes:
- S alt compress. Add a teaspoon of s alt to a liter of water, mix thoroughly. Soak a cloth in a cold solution and apply to the affected area. Repeat the procedure several times a day.
- Nettle infusion. 2 canteenschop a spoonful of nettle root and pour a liter of boiling water. Insist under a closed lid for 2 hours. After straining, take 2 tablespoons several times a day.
- Milk drink. Warm up a glass of milk. In it, dissolve the soda on the tip of the knife. Drink the entire drink at once. Take several times a day.
Reviews
As the reviews of patients and their relatives show, no one is immune from Quincke's edema. Everyone should know what to do at home. After all, the disease develops rapidly and can occur even in the absence of any allergies. Many who have had this disease believe that even with a slight edema, it is worth calling a doctor or an ambulance. After that, it is advisable to take tests for allergens. This will help determine the causes and choose the appropriate treatment.
People who have had giant urticaria also note that one cannot rely only on folk recipes. Such carelessness can lead to death. In addition, it is necessary to remember about a possible relapse. Therefore, you should always carry a drug recommended by your doctor that will help stop an attack, and follow preventive measures.
Some have long been taught what to do at home from Quincke's edema. During attacks, they give an injection of "Prednisolone". But before committing such actions, it is necessary to acquire the appropriate skills and find out the appropriate dosage.
Prevention
We talked about what to do with angioedema, first aid and treatment methods. This knowledge is very helpful. But much easier to preventthe occurrence of the disease, observing preventive measures. They are also necessary after the onset and removal of Quincke's edema. What is prevention?
Here are some recommendations:
Following a strict diet. It is necessary to remove from the diet all foods that cause an immunopathological reaction
Avoid contact with environmental allergens. It can be animals, plants, and so on. An antihistamine should be taken during flowering
If you have a high sensitivity to insect bites, do not go out in bright clothes, without shoes and a hat. In addition, you should always have an allergy remedy in your purse
Keeping the house clean. This is what to do after Quincke's edema is simply necessary, since the disorder provokes the development of allergies. It is necessary to wipe the dust more often, wash the floor, ventilate the room, monitor the temperature and humidity levels in the home
It is better to choose clothes only from natural materials. A minimum of synthetics should be in the house. For example, you can remove too cheap or old soft toys, replace blankets and pillows with hypoallergenic ones
Exclude direct contact with household chemicals, for babies it should not be available at all
Always consult a doctor before taking medication. If giant urticaria has already been transferred, then this must be reported
Given the above, we can summarize. Knowing what to do with angioedema is very useful. This iscan suddenly happen to any of the relatives or passers-by. It is important to call an ambulance in a timely manner and provide first aid in order to prevent a fatal outcome.
