Anaphylaxis Center - Union, NJ
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AnaphylaxisRead the Anaphylaxis article » Introduction to anaphylaxisAnaphylaxis refers to a rapidly developing and serious allergic reaction that affects a number of different areas of the body at one time. Severe anaphylactic reactions can be fatal. Most people experience allergy symptoms only as a minor annoyance. However, a small number of people are susceptible to a reaction that can lead to shock or even death. Anaphylaxis is often triggered by substances that are injected or ingested and thereby gain access into the blood stream. An explosive reaction involving the skin, lungs, nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract can then result. Although severe cases of anaphylaxis can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure and be fatal if untreated, many reactions are milder and can be ended with prompt medical therapy. What does anaphylaxis mean?To fully understand this term, we need to go back almost 100 years. The story begins on a cruise aboard Prince Albert I of Monaco's yacht. The Prince had invited two Parisian scientists to perform studies on the toxin produced by the tentacles of a local jellyfish, the Portuguese Man of War. Charles Richet and Paul Portier were able to isolate the toxin and tried to vaccinate dogs in the hope of obtaining protection, or "prophylaxis," against the toxin. They were horrified to find that subsequent very small doses of the toxin unexpectedly resulted in a new dramatic illness that involved the rapid onset of breathing difficulty and resulted in death within 30 minutes. Richet and Portier termed this "anaphylaxis" or "against protection." They rightly concluded that the immune system first becomes sensitized to the allergen over several weeks and upon re-exposure to the same allergen may result in a severe reaction. An allergen is a substance that is foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction in certain people. All... Recommended Reading Related to AnaphylaxisFirst AidFirst aid is the assistance given to an injured or sick person in need of urgent medical assistance. First aid applies to a broad range of medical situations and consists both of specific knowledge and skills (for example, what to do for each type of injury or illness) and the ability to assess a situation and make appropriate decisions (such as when to call for emergency medical assistance). Preparedness is a key element of first aid. While every home, auto, and boat should be equipped with a basic emergency kit that includes first aid supplies and a first aid manual, special circumstances may necessitate more advanced or specific degrees of preparation for an emergency. For example, residents of certain geographic areas where natural disasters (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, floods, landslides, or tsunamis) may occur should prepare for emergencies by assembling disaster preparedness kits such as earthquake kits, ... Other Related Anaphylaxis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Union
Nearby Union Hospitals * Newark Beth Israel Medical Center  Children's Hospital of New Jersey  Trinitas Hospital Williamson Campus  East Orange Campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System  Trinitas Hospital New Point Campus  Overlook Hospital  Children's Specialized Hospital Mountainside  East Orange General Hospital  Saint Barnabas Medical Center  Summit Oaks Hospital  The University Hospital  Kindred Hospital New Jersey Rahway  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway  St James Hospital of Newark  Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation West Orange  Clara Maass Medical Center West Hudson  Clara Maass Medical Center  Bayonne Medical Center  Runnells Specialized Hospital of Union County  Mountainside Hospital  Woodbridge Development Center  Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center  Richmond University Medical Center  JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute  JFK Medical Center  Essex County Hospital Center  Bayley Seton Campus  Jersey City Medical Center  Christ Hospital  Morristown Memorial Hospital  Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center  Care One at Raritan Bay  Staten Island University Hospital North Site  Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital  Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute  Hoboken University Medical Center  South Beach Psychiatric Center  Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy Division  Staten Island University Hospital South Site  Lutheran Medical Center  New York Downtown Hospital  Long Island College Hospital  St Mary's Hospital  Brooklyn Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System  St Vincent's Hospital & Medical Center of New York  Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital  Maimonides Medical Center  Beth Israel Medical Center Petrie Division  Lyons Campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System  New York Eye & Ear Infirmary  NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases  The Brooklyn Hospital Center  St Joseph's Children's Hospital  St Joseph's Regional Medical Center  New York Methodist Hospital  VA New York Harbor Healthcare System New York Campus  Bellevue Hospital Center  St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center  NYU Langone Medical Center  Palisades Medical Center  Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine  University Behavioral Healthcare  Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation Saddle Brook  Manhattan Eye Ear & Throat Hospital  Saint Peter's University Hospital  Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital  Goldwater Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital  Hackensack University Medical Center  Lenox Hill Hospital  Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center  New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Campus  The Rockefeller University Hospital  Saint Clare's Hospital Boonton Township  Saint Clare's Hospital Denville Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Shock (Medical)
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