An anaphylactic reaction may start off innocently enough, with a tingling or itching sensation or a strange metallic taste. Other common symptoms include hives, a sensation of warmth, trouble breathing or swelling of the mouth and throat. Symptoms may develop within minutes or as long as two hours after exposure, but life-threatening reactions may take up to several hours to appear.
Because exposure to any offending substance can quickly progress to severe anaphylaxis and even death, persons experiencing a combination of the following symptoms are advised to seek emergency care right away:
* Difficulty breathing due to narrowing of airways and swelling of the throat
* Wheezing, coughing or unusual (high-pitched) breathing sounds
* Confusion, slurred speech or anxiety
* Difficulty swallowing
* Swelling of the tongue, throat and nasal passages
* Localized edema or swelling, especially involving the face
* Itchiness and redness on the skin, lips, eyelids or other areas of the body
* Skin eruptions and large welts or hives
* Skin redness, at the site of a bee sting, for example
* Bluish skin color, especially the lips or nail beds, or grayish in darker complexions
* Nausea, stomach cramping, vomiting/diarrhea
* Heart palpitations (feeling the heart beating)
* Weak and rapid pulse
* Dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, fainting or unconsciousness, which can lead to shock and heart failure
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