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Latex Allergy
GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it? A latex allergy means that you are allergic to the protein in natural rubber latex ("NRL"). NRL is the product made from the milky fluid inside a rubber tree. You are not born with a latex allergy but get this allergy when you are exposed to latex many times. Powder, on things like gloves, can carry the latex protein into the air. This is called aerosolized (air-uh-suh-lized) latex which can cause problems for people with a latex allergy. Following are some of the more than 40,000 things that contain latex.
- Some of the many latex products around your home and work:
- Clothes such as nylons, pantyhose, and spandex.
- Household rubber gloves.
- Diapers, bottle nipples, pacifiers.
- Household insulation material, carpet backing.
- Newsprint, coupons, and magazines dusted with latex coating.
- Some foods, such as bananas, avocados, kiwis, chestnuts, and chewing gum.
- Balloons.
- Female sanitary pads and diaphragms.
- Condoms.
- Clothes such as nylons, pantyhose, and spandex.
- Some of the many latex products in hospitals, medical offices, and clinics:
- Gloves.
- Catheters and latex-tipped enema tubes.
- Syringes with rubber plunger tips.
- IV tubing with rubber injection ports.
- Medicine bottles with rubber top.
- Anesthesia (an-iss-thee-zia) and other respiratory equipment.
- Gloves.
What type of reactions can someone have to latex? There are 3 types of reactions that people can have to latex.
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Irritant contact dermatitis (der-muh-ti-tus): This is the most common reaction to latex. Skin that touches the latex may become red, dry, itchy, or cracked. You may start having symptoms within minutes to hours of the time you touched the latex. Irritant contact dermatitis is not a true allergy to latex. But, the latex protein can get into your body through cracked skin if you keep using things made of latex. This could cause you to get a real allergy to latex.
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Allergic contact dermatitis: Your skin gets red, dry, itchy, and cracked like with irritant contact dermatitis. You won't start having symptoms for 24 to 48 hours after touching latex. This is a true allergy but is usually caused by the chemicals used to make latex into things like gloves.
- True latex allergies: A true allergy to latex usually happens within minutes of contact with the latex proteins. The reaction can be skin redness and itching, watery itchy eyes, runny itchy nose, sneezing, asthma, or other breathing problems. You may also have hives on your hands or all over your body or bad stomach problems. A true latex allergy can be very serious and could threaten your life. Your blood pressure may drop very low, heart may beat very fast, you could go into shock, and die.
How do I know for sure if I am allergic to latex? There are 3 steps to decide if you have a true allergy to latex. Caregivers will ask you many questions if you have latex allergy symptoms. You will be checked by your caregiver. You may also have blood or skin tests to find out if you have a latex allergy. Caregivers will work with you to decide which test is best for you.
What should I do if I have a reaction to latex?
- Talk to your caregiver so that you can get tested to see if you have a real allergy to latex.
- You may need to see a special caregiver called an allergist (ah-ler-jist) who works with patients with allergies.
- Learn what things you touch and use every day that are made of latex.
- Learn to completely avoid things that are made of latex.
- Avoid areas where you might breathe powder from latex gloves worn by others.
- Clean areas that had latex around, such as floors, carpets, furniture, and air vents.
- Change air filters and vacuum bags often.
- Check with caregivers to find out if you can use other gloves, such as vinyl or synthetic. Keep a supply of these non-latex gloves in your house and car, and take them with you to doctors appointments. You can wear these gloves when you need to touch latex. Or, caregivers and others can wear them when they need to give you care.
- Wear a medical alert bracelet so others know that you are allergic to latex.
- Caregivers may suggest that you keep a latex-free self-injecting syringe of epinephrine (eh-pih-neh-frin). Epinephrine can be given if you have a very bad allergic reaction to latex. You or someone close to you may need to learn how to give a shot before you have a bad allergy to latex.
- Always tell caregivers that you have been tested and are allergic to latex.
Seek Care Immediately If:
- You have trouble breathing after wearing gloves or touching something that might be made of latex.
- You have swelling of the mouth, lips, or throat after wearing gloves or touching something that might be made of latex.
- Call or write the following organizations for more information about latex allergies:
- Allegiance Healthcare Corp., Professional Services
1430 Waukegan Road
McGaw Park, IL 60085-6787
Phone: 1-800-327-7503
Web Address: http://www.allegiance.net
- Latex Allergy Help
Web Address: http://www.latexallergyhelp.com
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about having an allergy to latex. You can then discuss your treatment options with caregivers. You can work with them to decide what care will be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.