Epinephrine for anaphylaxis is almost always administered via an injection. To use the injector, you must first remove the safety cap and then press the injector firmly against the lateral thigh, above your knee and below your waist. The injector is powerful enough to go through clothing, including denim, and some have suggested that your action should be similar to that of gently "stabbing" yourself in the thigh. You should hold the injector in place until all of the medication is injected; this takes approximately 10 seconds. It is a good idea afterward to massage the thigh to assist the distribution of the medication throughout the system.
An anaphylactic reaction is a severe allergic "response" to an allergen in which there is dilation of the blood vessels leading to a drop in blood pressure. Tissues lining the organs of the respiratory system also swell. This swelling can cause life-threatening respiratory distress.
There are many different allergens, and they exist in the insect kingdom, among foods, in plants and in medications. Doctors might prescribe epinephrine for anaphylaxis for a patient who is susceptible to having a severe allergic reaction to things such as the stings of bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. Among the foods that have led to a person needing epinephrine for anaphylaxis are some varieties of nuts, particularly peanuts; some seafood, such as shellfish; milk; and eggs.
Exposure to certain plants such as poison oak, poison sumac and poison ivy can cause a severe allergic reaction requiring epinephrine for anaphylaxis. Antibiotics, antitoxins and other drugs also figure on the list of potentially life-threatening allergens. This is why health care providers always inquire of their patients about any known allergies. Most allergic reactions severe enough to require epinephrine for anaphylaxis are caused by insect stings and bites, not by foods. A few of the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock include itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, an increased heart rate, headache, nausea and an altered mental state.
Another name for epinephrine is adrenaline, which is a substance secreted by the endocrine system to help the body respond to stress. This information has caused some people to assume that because adrenaline is natural, there is no danger associated with epinephrine for anaphylaxis. This is not true, however. Epinephrine for anaphylaxis is a medication that has a very strong action on the body and, although it saves many lives, it can and has taken a few lives, so it should never be used carelessly or improperly.