Hereditary angioedema treatment is not something that is a simple black and white answer to a problem. This is due to the fact that this is a very common illness which can affect people in just about any group imaginable. Obviously the most telltale sign of a risk of a hereditary illness is family history, and any child born into a family prone to the illness should be tested for it at an early age.
Hereditary angioedema is one of several forms of angeioedema which can occur in the human body, all having similar symptoms but somewhat unique causes. The other primary type of angioedema is called “acquired angioedema”. The acquired form is more of a symptom of a greater problem, due to an irritant or universal allergen being introduced into the body’s system. Common examples of this are drug reactions and some chemical or dust particulate reactions that are well-documented.
The symptoms of most forms of angioedema are the swelling of the epidermis (or outer layer of skin) in the face or other parts of the body. Common side effects of this can be difficulty breathing, the swelling shut of orifices, and in more severe cases lack of mobility. In facial angioedema, one of the more common ways it manifests, it’s not uncommon for the eyes and sometimes mouth to swell to where they can not open. In some cases, swelling can occur in the throat as well, constricting the larynx, which is potentially quite fatal.
Now, the big difference with hereditary angioedema is that it is due to an allergy a person genetically has, or a sensitivity to other stimuli which a person who does not have the illness will not be susceptible to. In hereditary cases, there is usually a common, repeating stimulus in the family which causes resurgence of the symptoms.
Hereditary Angeioedema Treatments
Treatments, as said before depend on the hereditary angioedema symptoms that are being experienced, as well as some factors in body chemistry and family history. Hereditary illnesses tend to be harder to give as blanket treatment solution to due to the wide array of variables that must be dealt with.
One of the best forms of hereditary angioedema treatments are to be proactive and avoid encountering the stimulus or stimuli which may provoke the symptoms to arise. However, this is of course not always possible. One cannot hide from the world at large, and one can never be certain that all stimuli which cause the symptoms have been documented in their specific case. This can result in surprise (unpleasant) discovery of a new irritant factor at any time.
In cases where the symptoms are particularly severe and even life threatening, medical assistance is tantamount. Most physicians will use a method of synthesizing C1 inhibitors, a substance the body usually to fight such severe swelling. In some cases, they can introduce medications which can actually prevent the rapid consumption of the body’s natural C1 inhibitors as well.
While there is no magical cure to eradicate the disease, or make the symptoms suddenly vanish, most medical facilities are very well-equipped to fight severe outbreaks of angioedema swelling in hereditary or acquired cases. However, in daily life, the most practical thing is to be cautious and to know what stimuli are known to cause one’s outbreaks in the first place.
Being proactive is often the best medicine in daily living.