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Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis): what to do

Swelling, trouble breathing or collapse after a sting, food or medicine. Use the injector, call for help, stay.

22 items · 5 sections · health, emergency, first-aid, safety, medical

Start this checklist

Spot it (4)

  • Look for: swollen lips, tongue or face, a hoarse voice or noisy breathing
  • Look for: wheezing, a tight throat or chest, feeling faint, pale or floppy
  • Look for: a fast spreading rash or hives, after a sting, food, medicine or latex
  • If more than one of these come on quickly, treat it as anaphylaxis

Act now (5)

  • Call 999 / 911 / 112 and say "anaphylaxis"
  • Use the adrenaline auto-injector straight away if the person has oneInto the outer thigh, through clothes if needed, exactly as the label shows.
  • Note the time you used it
  • Do not wait to see if it gets better first
  • Stay with them; do not let them walk or stand up suddenly

Position (5)

  • Lie them flat with legs raised, unless that makes breathing harder
  • If breathing is hard, let them sit up
  • If they are pregnant, lie them on their left side
  • If unconscious and breathing, place them in the recovery position
  • If not breathing, start CPR and tell the call handler

While you wait (4)

  • If no better after 5 minutes and a second injector is there, use it in the other thighOnly if the person was prescribed two.
  • Remove the cause if you can (a sting, food in the mouth) without delay
  • Keep the used injector to show the paramedics
  • Loosen tight clothing and keep them warm

After (4)

  • Go to hospital even if they feel betterThe reaction can return hours later.
  • Ask for a referral to an allergy specialist
  • Ask the doctor about carrying two in-date injectors and an action plan
  • Check the expiry date of any auto-injector you own today

Written from www.nhs.uk

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