Reducing allergic reactions to food
This leaflet explains how you can reduce the risk of this happening. Anaphylaxis is unpredictable and can occur in people who have never had this type of reaction before, but most people will recover fully.
If you are experiencing a serious reaction or anaphylaxis, call 999 immediately.
Anaphylaxis is a life threatening severe allergic reaction. It is a medical emergency, and requires immediate treatment. A severe allergic reaction can cause an anaphylactic shock and must be treated with an Adrenaline Auto Injector (AAI).
This page provides the most up-to-date guidance on anaphylaxis and AAIs. Knowing how to recognise the early signs of anaphylaxis and administer AAI’s can save a life.
Find out more with our factsheets, how to videos and leaflets.
This leaflet explains how you can reduce the risk of this happening. Anaphylaxis is unpredictable and can occur in people who have never had this type of reaction before, but most people will recover fully.
If you or your child recently been prescribed an EpiPen Adrenaline Auto-Injector - Watch our video here.
Watch here as Amena Warner, Head of Clinical Services at Allergy UK demonstrates how to administer a Jext AAI correctly.
In most allergic reactions the resulting chemicals are released locally into the tissues in a particular part of the body (skin, eyes etc.). This means the symptoms of the allergic reaction usually only occur in this area.
In anaphylaxis, the chemicals that cause the allergic symptoms (e.g. histamine) are released into the bloodstream. The symptoms of anaphylaxis usually occur within minutes of exposure to the trigger substance (allergen) but sometimes an hour or so later.
In some cases, there’s no obvious trigger. This is known as idiopathic anaphylaxis.
Any or all of the following symptoms may be present during an anaphylaxis reaction:
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Find out moreIf you have a serious allergy or have experienced anaphylaxis before, it’s important to try to prevent future episodes.
The following can help reduce your risk:
Finding out if you’re allergic to anything that could trigger anaphylaxis can help you avoid these triggers in the future.
If you’ve had anaphylaxis and have not already been diagnosed with an allergy, you should be referred to an allergy clinic for tests to identify any triggers.
The most commonly used tests are:
If a trigger has been identified, you’ll need to take steps to avoid it in the future whenever possible.
You can reduce the chances of being exposed to a food allergen by:
You can reduce your risk of being stung by an insect by taking basic precautions, such as:
Some specialist allergy centres can also offer special treatment to help desensitise you to insect stings (immunotherapy).
If you’re allergic to certain types of medicines, there are normally alternatives that can be safely used.
For example, if you’re allergic to:
Always tell any healthcare professional about medicine allergies you have, as they may not be aware of them.
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You may be prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector if there’s an ongoing risk you could develop anaphylaxis.
There are two types of auto-injectors – EpiPen and Jext – that are each slightly different. Instructions are also included on the side of each injector if you forget how to use it or someone else needs to give you the injection.
You can find in-depth help on our anaphylaxis factsheet but here are the steps you need to follow if someone is having an anaphylactic shock:
If you are suffering from an anaphylactic shock, you should use your adrenaline pen immediately. While waiting for the ambulance, it is better if you lie down as this helps to maintain your blood pressure and avoids injury if you faint. You may be more comfortable with your shoulders raised a bit if you feel wheezy or short of breath.
Someone experiencing anaphylaxis should be placed in the correct position:
If the person’s breathing or heart stops, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be performed immediately.
You will need to go to hospital for observation – usually for 6-12 hours – as the symptoms can occasionally return during this period.
While in hospital:
You should be able to go home when the symptoms are under control and it’s thought they will not return quickly. This will usually be after a few hours, but may be longer if the reaction was severe.
You may be asked to take antihistamines and steroid tablets for a few days after leaving hospital to help stop your symptoms returning.
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