Angioedema Symptoms

There are certain conditions that lead to swelling in the skin and in the body. One such condition where there is swelling in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, which progresses at a very rapid rate after its onset is angioedema. Although angioedema is often interchangeably used with hives or urticaria, the former differs from the latter because in angioedema there is swelling in the dermis and the mucosal tissues whereas in hives, the swelling is limited to the upper dermis. However, a person who is suffering from angioedema may suffer from urticaria simultaneously. It is not known as to what exactly causes angioedema, though there can be many triggers like allergy, side effect of some medicine, etc. What is more important is to understand the various angioedema symptoms that this condition presents with, so that one can identify it as early as possible.

Symptoms of Angioedema

• One of the most common symptoms is the presence of a firm swelling. Usually, the most commonly affected regions include facial skin, including the skin around the mouth and the eyes, and the mucosal region of the mouth and throat. Sometimes, there may also be tongue swelling which may take place in the time span of a few minutes.
• Sometimes, slightly thicker skin, like skin of the hands may also be affected and may get swollen up. This swelling may also be painful to touch or may even itch.
• Depending on how the nerves in the region have been affected due to the swelling, a person may have paresthesia (abnormal sensations in the skin) or anesthesia (no sensation in the skin).
• As mentioned earlier, hives symptoms of skin rashes, reddening and swelling may simultaneously appear when a person has angioedema. Large blisters, also known as bullae, may also form in regions where there is a lot of swelling.
• In some cases, when there is swelling of eyes or lips, this may be severe enough to not allow movement, like, the eyelids may be swollen enough to not allow the eyes to open and the lips may increase in size by so many times, that they may become thrice their normal size.
• Sometimes, the swelling of the tongue or the mucosal tissue of the throat may be so severe that it may lead to stridor breathing. The swelling may block normal flow of air, which may lead to wheezing and difficulty in breathing. If such severe angioedema symptoms are not addressed at the earliest, it may even lead to respiratory arrest.

There is a condition known as hereditary angioedema which has yet more serious symptoms when compared to angioedema. Hereditary angioedema symptoms include the sudden and very rapid swelling of face, arms, legs, digestive tract and respiratory tract. Of these symptoms, intestinal and respiratory angioedema lead to the most amount of complications. The symptoms of intestinal angioedema include severe abdominal cramping due to the swelling of the digestive tract which may lead to even blockage of the tract. This also leads to vomiting and indigestion and may require hospitalization in certain severe cases. The main problem and risk with this condition is the fact that these episodes are recurrent in nature, but when and what the next episode will be triggered by, is something that no one can tell.

These were the various angioedema symptoms that are seen in individuals when they have an attack. This condition is usually managed with the help of antihistamines and other such drugs that prevent it from worsening. Research is ongoing to find a cure or at least a way of preventing the onset of such attacks. However, for the time being, one will have to ensure that as soon as the symptoms appear, they are addressed on a priority basis so as to prevent any further life-threatening complications.