Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disease. It is known to be diagnosed in about 1 in 10,000 to 50,000 people globally. The condition affects the immune system’s ability to manage inflammation in the body. This results in several symptoms that affect the skin, airway, and gastrointestinal system. Most of these symptoms are similar to allergic reactions. Therefore, it is important to recognize the early signs of HAE to enable timely diagnosis and treatment.
Early signs
Before the onset of the symptoms, one can experience several of these early signs of HAE:
- Extreme fatigue
- Painless and non-itchy rash
- Muscle ache
- Skin tightness
- Tingling skin
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Abdomen pain
- Hoarseness of voice
- Mood changes or irritability
Common symptoms
The early signs are often followed by an HAE attack. During this, a person experiences swelling in different areas of the body. This leads to the start of the following symptoms:
Swelling of the skin
This is one of the most common symptoms of HAE. Its early signs are tingling and tightness of skin, which progress to painful and extreme swelling of the skin. If not treated on time, the swelling may subside in a couple of days. It is always recommended to seek medical care to avoid other severe symptoms from occurring. The swelling of the skin is generally experienced in these areas of the body:
- Hands
- Feet
- Face
- Mouth
Abdominal swelling
Nearly half the people with HAE have swelling of the gastrointestinal tract. This causes a person to experience the following:
- Severe stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dehydration
In rare cases, when abdominal swelling is quite severe, there can be extreme loss of fluids. This can lead to hypovolemic shock, which is a life-threatening condition requiring urgent medical attention.
Throat swelling
This is considered as the most severe symptom of HAE. It is often life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. It has been observed that approximately half the people who have HAE experience at least one episode of throat swelling in their lifetime. Usually, the severity of this symptom progresses slowly over several hours. As the symptoms advance, a person may experience some of these issues:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Change in voice quality or hoarseness
- Difficulty breathing