An allergic reaction to a cough medicine can cause swelling in the lips and face. Allergic reactions range from mild to severe, with swelling being a possible symptom of a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. If your lips start to swell after taking cough medicine or other medications, seek immediate emergency medical treatment.
Identification
Exposure to an allergen in a medication or food, or through an insect bite, can trigger an allergic reaction. The first time you take the medication, you may experience no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As you become more sensitive to the allergen, symptoms worsen. MedlinePlus reports that most severe reactions occur within seconds or minutes after exposure to the allergen, although some reactions can occur several hours after exposure.
Symptoms
Symptoms of mild allergic reaction might include hives, itching, watery eyes and congestion of the nasal passages. Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or eyes can occur in a more serious reaction, such as anaphylaxis. Other symptoms of anaphylaxis might include tightness in the chest, a tingling feeling in the mouth, trouble breathing, dizziness, trouble swallowing, anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, wheezing, heart palpitations, flushing of the face and abdominal cramps. If you have a severe reaction, symptoms will worsen quickly rather than decrease with time.
Treatment
Taking over-the-counter antihistamines can help relieve symptoms if you experience a mild allergic reaction. Taking an antihistamine may be somewhat helpful if you have a severe reaction, although you will still require emergency treatment. If symptoms are severe, treatment at a hospital is necessary to prevent damage to your internal organs. Anaphylaxis can progress quickly and cause death if treatment is not started soon after you begin experiencing symptoms. At the hospital, doctors will give you oxygen to help you breathe and adrenalin and antihistamines to reduce your allergy symptoms and maintain a normal blood pressure. You also may require treatment with intravenous fluids.
Considerations
If a family member has had a reaction to a medication, you may be at increased risk. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network reports that your risk of having another anaphylactic reaction increases if you have already had one reaction. Your doctor may prescribe an auto-injector containing epinephrine, a form of adrenalin, if you experienced a severe allergic reaction. Carry the auto-injector with you at all times in case you experience another reaction. Discontinue using the cough medicine that caused the allergic reaction and avoid other medications with the same ingredients. Your doctor may recommend that you undergo allergy testing to determine which drugs or foods may cause severe reactions.
