The Facts About Drug Allergies
Most of us look forward to receiving a prescription from a doctor for a medication that is meant to make us feel better. However, some drugs can harm more than they help. If you have a drug allergy and you are accidentally given that medication, you can end up in the hospital with a life-threatening allergic reaction.
If the above scenario sounds familiar, you may have suffered from medical malpractice. When medical professionals disregard your concerns about a drug allergy or even misplace your charts detailing such issues, this can put your health on the line. For more information regarding medical malpractice claims, contact the Springfield personal injury attorneys of Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C., today at 417-887-4300.
Common Sources of Drug Allergies
You develop a drug allergy when your body reacts too strongly against a particular medication. For instance, instead of using the medicine to fight a virus or infection, your body’s immune system turns and attacks the drug itself. This hypersensitivity to the medication is what causes the allergic reaction.
Some medicines have caused more allergic reactions than others. Common sources of drug allergies include:
- Analgesics – painkillers such as codeine, morphine, NSAIDs, aspirin
- Medicines from the sulfa family
- Penicillin
- Tetracycline
- Anti-seizures such as carbamazepine or phenytoin
Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction
- To protect your health, you should be familiar with the warning signs of an allergic reaction:
- Skin problems – rash, hives, erythema multiforme, photoallergy
- Fever
- Joint and/or muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Inflamed kidneys
- Anaphylactic shock – skin reaction plus difficulty breathing, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness, heart arrhythmia, swelling of the face or other parts of the body
Contact Us
Physicians should acknowledge and avoid your sources of allergies unless absolutely necessary. If you or someone you love has suffered from improper medical care, you should speak to a personal injury lawyer about your legal options. Contact the Springfield medical malpractice attorneys of Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C., at 417-887-4300 today.