Amoxicillin, a broad spectrum antibiotic, belongs to a group of antibiotics called penicillin antibiotics. Its general purpose is to treat bacterial infections such as ear infections, pneumonia, bladder infection, tooth infections, gonorrhea, and others. This particular antibiotic prevents the multiplication of the bacteria by inhibiting the formation of the bacterial wall.
Amoxicillin, similarly to other members of penicillin group of antibiotics, can cause many side effects in some patients. These include skin rashes, upset stomachs, and headaches and they do not themselves mean that you should stop taking your medication. Some people are, however, allergic to the drug, and like any allergy, that can have severe consequences depending on its severity.
An amoxicillin allergy can affect people of all ages, and if it occurs one is not supposed to be prescribed amoxicillin and other penicillin antibiotics any more. There is no difference regarding symptoms and signs of an amoxicillin allergy in children and adults.
The most frequent side effects of amoxicillin are not so serious and they include nausea, vomiting, headache, mild abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort, thrush and vaginal discharge and itching. However, some people may develop more serious side effects such as intensive stomach pain, fever, skin rash, body aches, profuse diarrhea (watery or bloody), unusual bruising and/or bleeding. In some cases the medication can cause seizures and confusion. These serious side effects require prompt medical attention.
Allergic Reaction to Amoxicillin: What Are the Symptoms?
People who have already developed a hypersensitivity to penicillin as well as those suffering from asthma, urticaria and hay fever are at a higher risk of developing a severe allergy to amoxicillin. During the first exposure to the medication, a person becomes sensitive and the allergic reaction may develop after any additional intake of medication.
Despite these threats, the histories associated with documented allergies are rarely reconciled, or acted on, by the health care team.
The most common symptoms of allergic reaction to amoxicillin are:
- Serum sickness-like reaction
- Drug-induced liver injury
- Maculopapular rash
An allergic reaction to amoxicillin may make itself apparent in different forms. Generally, patients suffering from an allergy to amoxicillin will develop a generalized skin rash, known as urticaria or hives. The skin is extremely itchy in this case. Furthermore, there may be unexplained swelling of certain body parts especially the face, throat, lips and tongue. And finally, one more characteristic of allergy to amoxicillin includes breathing difficulties, related to swelling. In some cases the allergic reaction is so severe that it requires immediate medical attention.
Skin rash can be a feature of both, non-allergic and allergic reaction to amoxicillin. If it occurs a person is supposed to visit a doctor who will determine whether the rash is associated with allergic reaction or it is simply a side effect of the medication. What is more, in some cases the allergic reaction to amoxicillin may occur all of a sudden or it could take several days for symptoms and signs to fully develop. Unfortunately, in rather rare cases, allergy to amoxicillin leads to life threatening anaphylactic reactions.
Treatment for Amoxicillin Allergic Reaction
If one has noticed the previously mentioned symptoms of an amoxicillin allergy, it is essential to discontinue the medication and consult a doctor as soon as possible, and in severe cases even to head for the Emergency Room or call an ambulance. Mild cases of allergic reactions to amoxicillin require treatment with antihistamines. In severe cases (an anaphylactic reaction) the patient is administered epinephrine injections.
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