Angioedema is deep tissue swelling that may occur due to various health conditions. Treating angioedema swelling depends on the cause.

Angioedema may be acute or chronic, and acute symptoms may last from a few days to several weeks. The chronic kind involves long-term symptoms that last or come and go repeatedly for more than 6 weeks.

Potential causes of angioedema include:

  • medication side effects
  • an immune response during or after an infection
  • an allergic reaction to food, an insect sting, or another trigger
  • chronic urticaria
  • hereditary angioedema (HAE)

Contact a doctor if you develop new symptoms of angioedema. They can help you identify the cause and recommend treatment, which may include:

  • prescription medication
  • trigger avoidance
  • over-the-counter (OTC) treatments

Contact emergency medical services (EMS) or go to the emergency department if you develop angioedema in your upper airways, including your larynx, throat, or tongue. Upper airway swelling may lead to life threatening breathing difficulties, even if you take prescription medication to treat it.

Read on to learn more about how to treat angioedema swelling.

Your doctor may prescribe medication if you have a chronic condition that causes angioedema swelling, such as:

  • IgE-mediated allergy
  • chronic urticaria
  • HAE

The treatment you take may depend on the cause of angioedema.

Epinephrine for allergic reactions

An IgE-mediated allergy to food, insect stings, medication, or other triggers may cause allergic reactions that may include angioedema as a symptom.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe type of allergic reaction. It may cause angioedema swelling in your airway, which can cause life threatening breathing difficulties. Anaphylaxis may also cause other life threatening symptoms, such as a severe blood pressure drop.

Your doctor will prescribe epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis, which you need to take at the first sign or symptom of it.

Contact EMS immediately if your symptoms persist, worsen, or come back after taking epinephrine. You may need additional treatment in the hospital.

It might be appropriate to manage anaphylaxis at home if you take a dose of epinephrine and your symptoms go away quickly and don’t come back. Only consider this option if you have more epinephrine available and your doctor has said that home management is right for you.

A note about epinephrine use

According to a 2023 anaphylaxis practice update, people no longer need to contact EMS each and every time they use epinephrine.

This is a change from previous guidance that stated EMS should be contacted following every use of epinephrine.

However, if symptoms persist, worsen, or come back after taking epinephrine, contact EMS immediately.

Medication for chronic urticaria

Chronic urticaria causes flares of itchy hives and sometimes angioedema.

Your doctor may prescribe one or more medications for chronic urticaria, including:

  • H1 antihistamines, such as:
    • cetirizine (Zyrtec)
    • desloratadine (Clarinex)
    • fexofenadine (Allegra, Aller-Ease)
    • levocetirizine (Xyzal)
    • loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, Wal-itin)
  • omalizumab (Xolair)
  • ciclosporin (Sandimmune)

Taking your medication regularly may help prevent flares of symptoms, including hives and angioedema.

Your doctor may prescribe short-term treatment with a corticosteroid if you have a flare of angioedema. Long-term use of these drugs comes with a high risk of side effects.

Medication for HAE

HAE is a rare genetic condition that causes episodes of angioedema swelling.

Your doctor may prescribe multiple medications for HAE, including:

  • preventive medication, such as:
    • berotralstat (Orladeyo)
    • donidalorsen (Dawnzera)
    • garadacimab (Andembry)
    • lanadelumab (Takhzyro)
    • plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor (Cinryze, Haegarda)
    • an anabolic steroid, such as:
      • danazol (Danocrine)
      • stanozolol (Winstrol)
  • on-demand medication, such as:
    • ecallantide (Kalbitor)
    • icatibant (Firazyr)
    • plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor (Berinert)
    • recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor (Ruconest)
    • sebetralstat (Ekterly)

Preventive medication may reduce the number of angioedema episodes you have. On-demand medication reduces angioedema swelling when it occurs, so take it as soon as possible when symptoms develop.

Contact EMS or go to the emergency department if you have angioedema swelling in your larynx, throat, or tongue. This may cause life threatening breathing difficulties.

Some people have angioedema with no identifiable cause or trigger. Others develop angioedema after exposure to certain triggers, such as:

  • medications
  • allergens
  • chronic urticaria triggers
  • HAE triggers

Avoiding or managing triggers may help prevent or ease angioedema swelling.

Medications

Drug-induced angioedema is a potential side effect of certain medications, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. This is a type of drug that doctors prescribe to treat high blood pressure and certain heart or kidney conditions.

Examples of ACE inhibitors include:

  • enalapril (Vasotec, Epaned)
  • lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, Qbrelis)
  • perindopril (Prestalia)
  • ramipril (Altace)

Other medications may also cause drug-induced angioedema. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking certain medications if they suspect they may be causing angioedema.

Allergy triggers

If you have an IgE-mediated allergy, certain allergens may trigger an allergic reaction, leading to symptoms such as angioedema. Potential allergens include:

  • foods, such as nuts, milk, or eggs
  • insect stings, such as bee or wasp stings
  • medications, such as penicillin or sulfa drugs
  • iodinated contrast media, which help healthcare professionals examine your body during X-rays and CT scans
  • latex

An allergist can help identify your specific allergens and share tips for avoiding them.

Chronic urticaria triggers

If you have chronic urticaria, you may develop symptoms with no identifiable trigger or have one or more triggers. Common triggers include:

  • friction, pressure, or vibration on your skin
  • exposure to heat or cold
  • spicy foods
  • exercise
  • stress

An allergist can help identify your specific triggers and teach you how to avoid them.

HAE triggers

If you have HAE, you may develop angioedema episodes in response to triggers such as:

  • physical and emotional stress
  • medical and dental procedures
  • injuries
  • infections

Your HAE specialist can help you learn more about potential triggers. They may prescribe short-term preventive medication to help prevent angioedema during a scheduled medical or dental procedure or another planned trigger exposure.

Certain OTC medications may help relieve symptoms of angioedema swelling, although they don’t address the underlying cause and do not work for all cases.

OTC antihistamines

OTC antihistamines may help reduce angioedema swelling relating to certain causes, such as mild allergic reactions, chronic urticaria, or post-viral angioedema. However, they are ineffective at treating anaphylaxis or HAE.

OTC antihistamines include:

  • Allegra
  • Aller-Ease
  • Claritin
  • Zyrtec

Your doctor can help you determine whether these may be safe and effective for you.

OTC pain relievers

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is an OTC pain reliever that may help ease discomfort or pain from angioedema swelling.

Many other OTC pain relievers are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a common cause of drug-induced angioedema. Taking NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may worsen angioedema in some people.

Applying a cold compress may help ease discomfort or pain from angioedema, although it won’t address the underlying cause.

You can make a cold compress by wrapping an ice pack in a clean cloth and applying it to the area affected by swelling. You can also soak a clean cloth or towel in cold water and apply it to your body.

Additionally, taking a cool bath or shower may help.

Never apply ice directly to your skin, as it may cause frostbite. You also need to avoid applying ice packs to your skin for more than 20 minutes at a time.

Lastly, avoid cold treatments if you have cold-induced chronic urticaria.

The treatment for angioedema swelling depends on the cause.

A doctor can help you identify the cause of your angioedema and recommend treatment.

They may prescribe medication to help prevent or ease angioedema swelling. They may also recommend trigger avoidance, over-the-counter medication, or other strategies to manage symptoms.

Contact EMS or go to the emergency department immediately if you have angioedema swelling in your larynx, throat, or tongue. This is a medical emergency that may cause life threatening breathing difficulties.