The first symptoms and help with angioedema

An allergic disease that is directly related to edema and impaired vascular permeability is called Quincke's edema. Another name for this condition is angioedema. This condition is often a precursor to such a terrible disease as anaphylactic shock.

Symptoms of Quincke's edema

In this case, the deep skin layers suffer, the edema develops rapidly and increases right before our eyes. The very first to suffer are mucous membranes and skin areas that have developed subcutaneous tissue. These include the area of ​​the neck and face, sometimes swelling develops on the arms, legs or genitals.

Most often, Quincke's edema is due to an allergic reaction. However, its difference from urticaria is that in this case, the vessels are mainly affected. With edema, their permeability is impaired and fluid accumulates inside the tissues.

The body's reaction in the form of edema occurs literally a few minutes after exposure to the allergen substance. Development is happening very quickly. In this case, a person has the following symptoms:

• Tissues swell strongly with out-of-proportions. This enlarges the lips, eyelids and other parts of the body.
• The patient does not feel itching.
• The skin becomes pale and taut
• When the edema is squeezed, no traces remain.
• A person loses sensitivity in the area of ​​edema or it is felt weakly.

Outwardly, the symptoms of edema look terrifying, but at the same time this condition does not represent a real danger to life. The patient's condition becomes life-threatening if swelling of the larynx and oral mucosa is added to the above symptoms:

• Neck swells.
• The swelling extends to the tongue, palate, and tonsils.
• The patient feels a sore throat, his voice disappears.
• A barking cough appears.
• It becomes difficult for a person to breathe, a feeling of suffocation appears.

Dangerous manifestations of Quincke's edema are quite common, in about 25% of cases. Sometimes Quincke's edema spreads to internal organs, brain or genitals. In this case, all the main external manifestations of edema are also present. Additionally, a person may feel nausea, abdominal pain, signs of acute cystitis, headache and cramps.

Causes of Quincke's edema

Quincke's edema can develop due to various reasons. Most often, this condition is caused by allergic reaction... This usually happens after eating some kind of food, preservatives, pollen, insect bites, contact with animal hair, or even banal dust. In some cases, the disease develops under the influence of a virus or parasite. Less often, edema occurs due to disruptions in the work of internal organs.

Sometimes edema occurs due to disruption of the human endocrine system. Cancer and blood diseases can also provoke the development of edema. In very rare cases, Quincke's edema develops due to a hereditary disorder of the immune system.

Help with Quincke's edema

With angioedema, it is necessary to act without delay in order to help the person in time and prevent the development of anaphylactic shock. Call an ambulance immediately, and before she arrives, try to do everything possible to alleviate the patient's condition.

1. Eliminate exposure to the allergenic substance.
2. Calm the person down, give him a comfortable position that gives him a flow of air.
3. Give any antihistamine.
4. Instill nose any vasoconstrictor drug.
5. Give the person plenty of alkaline drinks (even a regular baking soda solution will do).
6. Give activated charcoal.
7. Place a cooling compress over the area of ​​the swelling.
8. Before the ambulance arrives, watch how the patient breathes and how he feels.