Allergic Reactions and TEN: From Bextra and Dilantin to the Bee Sting

Allergic Reactions and TEN: From Bextra and Dilantin to the Bee Sting

An allergy is an immune disorder often caused by ordinary agents in the environment - allergens. The level of sensitivity varies with the individual and is generally acquired over time. Minor allergic reactions and TEN - toxic epidermal necrolysis - are on opposite ends of a spectrum. The latter is much more severe and potentially fatal, involving the essential layers of skin protecting the body from infection and exposure. The former includes less serious expressions like eczema and hives, though it also includes unusual and life-threatening responses to food or stinging insects.

The most severe cases have been linked to the NSAID (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) Ibuprofen and cox-2 inhibitors Bextra and Dilantin. Many other drugs have been demonstrably linked to it as well. For a full list, visit the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website or check online with one of the several associated "watchdog" groups. These sites report cases when they become known and try to bring more consumer awareness to the risk.

Symptoms of the early onset include flu-like fever and red welts, which quickly become uncomfortably itchy. The affected areas aggregate and eventually slough off. The situation usually reaches its most extreme within four days of its first signs.

If one has experienced any skin-related manifestation of allergy, it is important to be cautious with medications and observe any change in health closely. Patients have been known to experience the disease after short drug regimens and after taking a medicine for much longer periods. For this reason, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the cause.

The term is sometimes confused with the TENS gel pad, an acronym referring to transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation. This is one of the most common local forms of pain relief or analgesic. Gel pad allergic reaction can complicate the use those using it for electroanalgesia. Among the common conditions for which this may be prescribed are: low back problems, arthritis, visceral and postsurgical injury. EMTs sometimes connect electrodes with such gel pads.

The treatment of TEN varies according to the cause. If one suspects a severe systemic response, known as anaphylaxis, emergency medical attention should be sought. A shot of epinephrine can help the body quickly recover. Otherwise, rising blood pressure can be fatal in a matter of minutes. For this reason some who know that they may experience an allergy carry an Epi-Pen which will deliver a quick dose of vital epinephrine and usually halt an attack. In some countries, these are so prevalently used that they are available over-the- counter in drugstores.

For reactions that seem related to the skin, one may be experiencing a kind of rapid exfoliation that requires admittance to an intensive care burn unit, or the best, most protective environment available.

This also overlaps with a disease known as Stevens Johnson Syndromeand a benign version, erythema multiforme, which resolves by itself. It is important to know the differences between these overlapping versions of the body’s skin responses. While they share very similar characteristics in the beginning, one involves 10% of the body’s total surface area, while another concerns over 30% of it. In either of these cases, emergency medical attention is essential.