Allergic Purpura
Is allergic purpura with abdominal pain easy to treat?
Allergic purpura with abdominal pain, also known as abdominal allergic purpura, involves gastrointestinal symptoms associated with allergic purpura, primarily characterized by episodic severe abdominal pain, usually around the navel or lower abdomen, and may sometimes be accompanied by vomiting. Treatment typically involves bed rest, actively identifying the cause, controlling infections, and supplementing relevant vitamins. It's also important to check for any symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding. If there are signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, strict dietary management is necessary, blood transfusions may be required when needed, and the healing of the gastrointestinal tract must be monitored. Medications to suppress acid or protect the gastric mucosa could be considered. Generally, the prognosis for allergic purpura is favorable, though very few severe cases may experience gastrointestinal complications such as bleeding, intussusception, or even necrosis. Although the prognosis is generally good, relapse is common. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician and do not self-medicate.)
Is allergic purpura nephritis contagious?
Kidney damage caused by allergic purpura is called allergic purpuric nephritis. The main mechanism of allergic purpuric nephritis is the deposition of immune complexes in the kidneys, causing hematuria, proteinuria, edema, and hypertension. Severe cases of purpuric nephritis may also lead to renal failure. Additionally, patients with allergic purpuric nephritis exhibit systemic symptoms such as skin purpura, abdominal pain, joint pain, and melena. Allergic purpuric nephritis usually occurs in children, and it is not contagious. Unlike viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, and dysentery, it does not spread through respiratory, digestive, or blood pathways.
Can allergic purpura be inherited?
Allergic purpura is mostly caused by exposure to infections, medications, or foods, leading to skin and mucous membrane ecchymoses, which are essentially petechiae and a manifestation of vasculitis. It falls under autoimmune diseases, not genetic diseases, and thus is not contagious. Bacterial, viral, mycoplasmal, or parasitic infections are the most common causes. Secondarily, medications and foods can also trigger allergic purpura, such as high-protein foods like seafood and milk. Therefore, if there are symptoms like ecchymoses on the lower extremities accompanied by joint pain, or signs of blood in the stool or black stool, it is necessary to complete routine blood tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and autoimmune antibody tests to rule out other autoimmune diseases. During the acute phase, it is advisable to rest in bed, eat a light diet, avoid infection, and use corticosteroids for anti-allergy treatment if necessary.
Can allergic purpura cause itching?
Allergic purpura is mainly seen in adolescents and children, with a higher incidence in spring and autumn. The most common cause is infection, followed by medications or food, which can also trigger an episode of allergic purpura. The most common symptoms include purpura on the skin and mucous membranes, abdominal pain, blood in stools, hematuria, or joint pain. The purpura primarily affects the limbs, rarely appears on the trunk, and is symmetrically distributed. At this time, the bleeding spots often have no symptoms, meaning there is no itching of the skin. However, when there is concomitant skin edema or hives, itching can occur.
Mild symptoms of allergic purpura
Allergic purpura mainly includes three pathological types. The symptoms of the mild type mainly involve changes in the skin, primarily purpura-like rashes around the lower legs and ankle joints. If there are only skin lesions, it is considered a very mild case of allergic purpura. Additionally, more severe cases may involve kidney impairment, such as the presence of protein in the urine. Some patients primarily experience joint pain, also known as the arthritic type. Another group of patients presents mainly with sudden abdominal pain, primarily known as the abdominal type. Therefore, mild symptoms of allergic purpura might just be typical rashes. As long as there is no involvement of the visceral system, it is considered relatively mild.
Is allergic purpura nephritis easy to treat?
Allergic purpura nephritis is essentially a kidney complication caused by allergic purpura. The main symptoms are that the patient first presents with scattered purple spots on the lower limbs, known as allergic purpura. Subsequently, routine urine tests reveal hematuria or proteinuria, allowing for a diagnosis of allergic purpura nephritis. It cannot be completely cured. Currently, treatment first requires complete quantification of urine protein and a renal biopsy to confirm whether it is allergic purpura nephritis and its severity. Generally, it involves the use of steroids. Typical treatment involves firstly avoiding allergens, so any substances that cause allergies should not be contacted to prevent triggering allergic purpura, and thus prevent the recurrence of purpura nephritis. Additionally, it involves adhering to a low-salt, low-fat diet, and avoiding catching colds or staying up late.
Is allergic purpura contagious?
Allergic purpura is not a contagious disease; it is an autoimmune disorder, and therefore it is not transmissible. This condition is a self-limiting disease commonly found in adolescents and children. It mainly comes in four types: simple, renal, abdominal, and articular. Common symptoms include purpura on the limbs and body, and it may also involve abdominal pain, joint pain, and hematuria among other organ impairments. During the acute phase, bed rest is required. Sometimes, when the kidneys are affected, corticosteroids are necessary for timely treatment. If there is joint swelling and pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to alleviate pain, and antispasmodic analgesics can be used for abdominal pain.
How to deal with abdominal pain from allergic purpura?
The most common clinical manifestations of allergic purpura are bleeding spots on the lower limbs, hematuria, melena, and joint pain. The presence of melena or bloody stools accompanied by abdominal pain often indicates bleeding from the intestinal mucosa. It is recommended to complete a mesenteric vascular color Doppler ultrasound as soon as possible to identify the bleeding sites. At this time, fasting is absolutely necessary, meaning no food or water should be consumed, as this can exacerbate abdominal pain and bleeding. Fasting should continue until the melena and pain are alleviated. If symptoms continue to worsen, surgery may be necessary to prevent intestinal perforation and the onset of acute peritonitis.
What are the symptoms of allergic purpura?
The most common clinical manifestations of allergic purpura are bruises on the limbs, black stool, hematuria, and joint pain. It is mainly divided into articular, abdominal, cutaneous, renal, and mixed types. The presence of protein in the urine indicates kidney involvement, which means the condition is most severe. Allergic purpura generally can be alleviated with standard and active treatment, but recurrent attacks affecting the kidneys can lead to persistent purpuric nephritis and proteinuria that do not resolve.
What causes allergic purpura?
Allergic purpura commonly occurs in adolescents and children, characterized by frequent relapses and being intractable. It is primarily seen in youth aged between 5 to 14 years. As they age and their immunity strengthens, the frequency of episodes gradually decreases. The most common causes of allergic purpura include infections such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, mycoplasma infections, and allergies to medications and foods, with food allergies mainly stemming from high-protein foods like fish and shrimp, which can easily trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, once skin purpura or proteinuria appears, it is crucial to rest in bed until the pain and proteinuria dissipate and the purpura eases. During treatment, it is also important to avoid cold exposure and overexertion.