Things You'll Need:
- Doctor or health care professional
- Allergy testing
- Syringes
- Epinephrine
- EpiPen
- Medic alert bracelet
-
Step 1
Recognize milder symptoms of anaphylactic shock that may indicate the presence of an allergen. These symptoms include a tingling feeling in your mouth or on your lips, a sudden drop in blood pressure that causes you to feel dizzy or ready to faint and difficulty in breathing. In addition, gastrointestinal discomfort such as vomiting, diarrhea or cramps could appear within 1 hour of ingesting the allergen.
-
Step 2
See your doctor about these symptoms, and ask whether or not they indicate anaphylaxis. Your doctor will schedule allergy testing to isolate the possible causes of these symptoms, or refer you to an allergy clinic. Allergy testing may involve scratch or pinpoint tests, where the suspected allergen is applied directly to small cuts or abrasions in your skin, or through blood or urine tests.
-
Step 3
Submit to the allergy testing after you see your doctor about anaphylactic shock. Results can usually be obtained for most allergens within the same day, although some data may prompt further testing to isolate specific allergens.
-
Step 4
Discuss the allergy test results with your doctor or allergist. If allergens are identified that will cause anaphylactic shock, you will need to come up with a strategy to control your environment in order to avoid those triggers. Talk with your doctor about consulting with a dietitian if your triggers are food based, or find out how to remove pests from your home safely if your triggers are caused by insect bites or stings.
-
Step 5
Obtain the proper materials from your doctor to avoid anaphylactic shock in the future. You should assemble an emergency kit containing syringes and epinephrine in case you become anaphylactic in public. You should also obtain a medic alert bracelet that states you are anaphylactic and lists the allergens that trigger a reaction in you.
