How to Prevent Dangerous Reactions From Injecting Certain Medicines

Injections are not needed often. Most sicknesses that require medical treatment can be treated as medicines taken by mouth.

The following groups of medicines sometimes produce a dangerous reaction called Allergic shock.

1. Penicillin (including ampicillin).

2. Antitoxins that are made from horse serum.

The risk of a serious reaction is greater in a person who has previously been injected with one of these medicines or with another medicine of the same group. This risk is especially great if the medicine caused an allergic reaction (hives, itching, swelling, or trouble breathing) a few hours or days after the injection was given.

To prevent a serious reaction from an injection:

1. Use injections only when absolutely necessary.

2. It is very important to boil the syringe and needle before giving the injection. After boiling, do not touch the needle with your fingers or with anything else.

3. Before injecting one of the medicines listed above, always have 2 ampules of Adrenalin and an ampule of an antihistamine like promethazine or diphenhydramine ready.

4. In very serious cases, like tetanus or snakebite, if there is a good chance that the antitoxin might produce an allergic reaction, inject the antihistamine 15 minutes before giving the antitoxin.

5. Never use the same needle and syringe to inject more than one person without boiling it.

6. After injecting any medicine, always stay with the person for 30 minutes to watch for any of the following signs of Allergic shock:

i. Weak, rapid pulse or heartbeat

ii. Difficulty breathing.

iii. Loss of consciousness.

7. If these signs appear, immediately inject Adrenalin. Treat the person for shock and follow by giving an antihistamine in double the normal dose.

Medicines not to inject:

i. Vitamins. Injections are more expensive and more dangerous. Use vitamin pills or syrups rather than injections. Better still, eat foods rich in vitamins.

ii. Do not inject vitamin B12 and iron injections (such as Imferon).

iii. Injecting calcium into a vein is extremely dangerous. If not given very slowly, an injection in the buttock may cause a large abscess.

iv. Avoid combined medicines like penicilin with streptomycin. Never use it for colds or flu.

v. Chloramphenicol or tetracycline. These medicines do as much or more good when taken by mouth. Use capsules or syrups rather than injections

vi. Intravenous Solution. These should be used only for severe dehydration and given only by someone who is well trained. When not given correctly they can cause dangerous infections or death.