For many people with an allergy, the body's response is usually pretty mild. You may get a runny nose or sneeze. But for some people, an allergic reaction can affect the whole body, becoming much more severe and life threatening. These severe life-threatening allergic reactions can come on fast and are known as anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis affects everyone differently. Some people may have a skin rash and difficulty breathing or swallowing, while others may experience nausea and vomiting. Although there are common symptoms for anaphylaxis, they can change drastically from person to person and reaction to reaction.
Things as simple as peanuts, shellfish, eggs, or a bee sting can cause an anaphylactic reaction to happen. The body sometimes quickly lets you know that it can't handle the substance (allergen) you're allergic to, while other times, symptoms can take hours to show up.
Ignoring allergies can be dangerous. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you're experiencing symptoms, so they can help you identify what you're allergic to.
Living with, or being at risk for, a severe allergy usually means carrying an epinephrine auto‑injector at all times, which is prescribed by the doctor. Epinephrine auto‑injectors usually come as a pair, because sometimes you need more than 1 dose to treat the anaphylactic reaction.
