Get To Know The Causes And Risk Factors For Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Ladies, the good news is that Stevens-Johnson syndrome is rare! However, it's also very painful. It causes a rash to appear on your skin, and your skin is also likely to blister! This condition affects large parts of your body, ladies. Besides the rash, you will also have a cough, sore throat, and intense itching. Muscle pain, fatigue, and light sensitivity are common here too. Ladies, expect red eyes also! Your doctor needs a medication history for a diagnosis here. Ladies, you'll get a skin biopsy too!

Ladies, the first part of Stevens-Johnson syndrome treatment is stopping medications that you don't absolutely need! Cool compresses for blisters work really well for this condition too. Yes, medications for Stevens-Johnson syndrome are used, but only specific ones! You will often take some antibiotics for Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Only specific pain meds are prescribed! Of course, treatment for Stevens-Johnson syndrome starts with knowing the cause!

Gout Medication

Ladies, gout puts you at risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This is because gout medication is another type of med that's behind this condition! There are many studies on it. According to them, allopurinol is the med that triggers this condition the most. That's why your doctor will prescribe other gout medications first, ladies!

However, ladies, other gout meds still result in Stevens-Johnson syndrome in some cases. It comes down to the dose! Ladies, a higher dose means you're more likely to develop this syndrome. Your doctor needs to prescribe the lowest effective dose, ladies, especially with allopurinol! How long you take these meds matters too. Ladies, only take gout medication as long as it's necessary!

Anticonvulsants

You need anticonvulsants to stop seizures and treat epilepsy, ladies. They are powerful and helpful meds! However, they're also a major cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Ladies, your doctor has to watch you closely when they prescribe one of these meds. If you develop Stevens-Johnson syndrome, they'll need to go over your entire medication history! The anticonvulsant that carries the biggest risk of this condition, and the one doctors look for, is phenytoin. However, gabapentin and diazepam have caused it too! Experts say it's likely the metabolites these drugs leave in your system that trigger this condition. So, doctors will prescribe the lowest effective dose!

Pain Medication

Ladies, many of you take pain medication for something. Even taking a pill for a headache is normal! However, pain medications are another big cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This is unfortunate, ladies. Remember, this condition is a painful one! You're going to want a way to relieve at least some of this pain.

Many OTC pain medications are the ones that trigger Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This includes ones like acetaminophen and ibuprofen! Prescription pain meds have also caused this condition. The good news is that pain medications cause it less often than other meds! However, ladies, you will still want to take the lowest effective dose.

Pneumonia

Ladies, pneumonia causes Stevens-Johnson syndrome. It's the most common infectious cause, in fact! Most often, it will be pneumonia from the M. pneumoniae bacteria that does it. That's why cases of it need to be monitored closely, and patients must be tested for Stevens-Johnson syndrome! Ladies, you'll need aggressive treatment when pneumonia was your trigger. It's because pneumonia makes eye complications quite a bit more likely. You will likely deal with blistering of the eyes, ladies! Thankfully, pneumonia is easy to spot. Major symptoms are fever, fatigue, and a productive cough. Ladies, these start just one week before your rash and blisters!

Liver Injury

Your liver matters a lot with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, ladies. Any injury, damage, or disease involving your liver increases your risk of this condition! In most cases, ladies, this is because of acetaminophen and other meds. Many meds cause liver damage when you take too much of them. Taking them for too long causes this damage too!

Hepatitis A is a big player here as well. Of course, other types of hepatitis also influence this condition. Ladies, 30 percent of you with this syndrome have increased liver enzymes. Out of that, 10 percent of you are going to also have a full hepatitis infection! Hepatitis is a group of conditions, and many mean your liver is damaged. Viral hepatitis isn't the most common reason for Stevens-Johnson syndrome. However, like with pneumonia, it does happen!