Stevens Johnson Syndrome Symptoms

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a skin disease which is caused by an allergy arising from drugs consumed causing side effects. This disease is also known by another name TEN or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Factually, this is another form of the disease and is similar to SJS if not same. Sulpha antibiotics have been known to cause this disease the most compared to the others like Phenytoin and anticonvulsants. Some doctors believe that it may also be a cause of bacterial infection arising from the intake of food which may cause infection. Some also relate it to a virus attack on the patient. Sighting this, it may be easy to understand that someone with better immunity would be able to handle the disease in a much better condition than the other.

All drugs are made keeping some generalization in mind and exceptions may come up at times. SJS and TEN cannot be associated with a particular age group of people. Anyone may become a victim of this allergy at any point of their lifetime. However, the young ones and the elderly are more at risk primarily because they are low on immunity and are prescribed more medicines compared to the adults. Other diseases like HIV and cancer which are terminal in themselves and also compromise the immunity of the patient may also lead to this disease. The patient may suffer from either Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Parents of the young children and the elderly are always advised to keep a lookout for any form of skin problems that may arise. Small problems lead to bigger ones and this disease has the potential to cause immense pain making the live conditions for the patient miserable.

Medically speaking, the symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis can be enlisted in the following (and yes, they are very comparable to the swine flu symptoms):

a) Vomiting: Vomiting becomes very common symptom of this disease. Instability is achieved in the digestive system and the food is not digested properly. Consumed food has the tendency to ride up the oesophagus and come out of the mouth.

b) Fever: Fever is another trait that can be seen in the victims of this disease. Temperatures tend to fluctuate and while medication can bring it back to normal for some time, it rises again.

c) Headaches: Constant headache is another symptom. Doctors say that people experience it because of the sudden change in body behavior and once the disease has been diagnosed, due to tension.

d) Diarrhea: As mentioned, the digestive system takes a hit. This also leads to diarrhea along with vomiting thus causing great fluid loss.

Once these symptoms come up, rashes tend to develop in some body parts while later spread to the complete body. Mucous membranes are the most severely affected areas which are mostly present in mouth, eyes, nose etc. In serious cases of TEN and SJS, the exterior layers of the skin begin to peel off. This causes exposure of the inner organs and seriously makes the patient susceptible to further infection by the pollutants in the atmosphere.