Allergy to paracetamol is not very common, but should not be underestimated. Check out what symptoms it gives.
Paracetamol is an active substance that is part of many drugs that have analgesic and antipyretic properties. It’s generally safe. However, there is a certain group of people that he can harm.
How to recognize an allergy to paracetamol?
Allergy to paracetamol can occur in both children and adults. The first sign of hypersensitivity to the specified active substance is skin changes. A rash or hives appears on the body. Sometimes papules, vesicles, wheals and erythema can also be seen, i.e. redness caused by dilation of blood vessels. The described allergic reactions are accompanied by angioedema (angioedema angioedema). This term is used to describe swelling of the skin and deeper tissues. It most often affects the face (eyelids, cheeks, lips, etc.), but can also affect other parts of the body, such as limbs. The edema increases rapidly and leads to a distortion of the appearance. People allergic to paracetamol may also experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness, heart palpitations, chills, “cold sweats”, difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing.
Sometimes an allergic reaction can lead to heart problems, bronchospasm, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. In extreme cases, taking even a small dose of paracetamol can lead to anaphylactic shock, which poses a serious threat not only to health, but also to the life of the patient.
How to help yourself with an allergy to paracetamol?
If anxiety symptoms appear after taking paracetamol, you should immediately contact your doctor or call an ambulance (call 112 or 999). It is important to take these steps as soon as the first allergy symptoms appear. Delay can bring very negative consequences and lead to an exacerbation of unwanted reactions from the body.
An allergic reaction to paracetamol is usually treated by administering antihistamines to the patient. Sometimes it is necessary to administer adrenaline (with anaphylactic shock). The doctor should also inform the allergy sufferer which medications to avoid and which medications they can safely take to reduce fever or pain.
How to diagnose an allergy to paracetamol?
If you want to check if you are allergic to paracetamol, you should do an allergy test for the presence of specific IgE antibodies in your blood. Sometimes a so-called provocative test is also carried out, which consists in administering paracetamol to the patient under controlled conditions. This is done by a qualified and properly trained team of specialists. You should not conduct this type of testing yourself in the privacy of your home.
Sources:
-
J. Golomb, M. Jacobisiak, W. Lasek, Immunology, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warsaw, 2002
-
M. Krzyzhak-Jankovic, R. Jankovic, Metamizole and paracetamol are drugs similar, but not the same, Palliative Medicine in Practice, 2015, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 59–65
-
A. Schukotska-Zych, Hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in children, Polish Journal of Allergology 2019, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 84–89
Source: Wprost
I have worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I have a deep understanding of how the news industry works and how to get information out to the public. I am also an author at Daily News Hack, where I mostly cover health news. I have a keen interest in health and fitness, and I firmly believe that knowledge is power when it comes to taking care of your body. I want to help people live healthier lives by sharing my knowledge with them, and LinkedIn is the perfect platform for me to do that.
