Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives, or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction is known as anaphylaxis.
Food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the body towards certain foods. Around 4% of the world’s population suffers from this allergy. Its symptoms can be mild or severe, causing a sensation of itchiness, respiratory problems, diarrhea, swelling, and hives. This allergy can remain for a few minutes to several hours depending upon its severity.
Food allergies can be caused by a lot of factors such as inadequate Vitamin D, genetics, and obesity. A certain component of food activates a lot of inflammatory components that cause the sensation of itchiness.
People often get confused between food allergies and food intolerance. The basic difference is that food intolerance causes fewer problems and has nothing to do with your immune system.
Let us understand its symptoms, types and treatment.
Symptoms
Following are some of the common symptoms caused by Food allergy
- Skin Inflammation
- Hives
- Abdominal Pain
- Sore throat
- Asthma
- Diarrhea
Types of Food allergy
1. Immunoglobulin E mediated
When you eat a certain food that you are allergic to, your immune system will react immediately by producing antibodies that produce chemicals leading to an allergic reaction. When people are allergic to only one food, they have one IgE body and those having multiple food allergies have more than one IgE antibody. Its symptoms show an effect on the throat, lungs, and skin.
IgE Mediated Food Allergies
- Eggs allergy
Egg allergy can take place in infants and most children can surpass this allergy before reaching puberty. It shows its symptoms within a few minutes of consuming eggs. The symptoms include vomiting, skin inflammation, hives, asthma, etc. Before eating anything outside, one must read its label carefully as its immune system reacts even if there is very little quantity of egg.
2. Peanut allergy
Symptoms of peanuts are noticeable in few minutes after exposure. These symptoms can be soreness of breath, skin inflammation, cold, itchiness around the mouth, and cramps.
Even small traces of peanuts can trigger a reaction in some people. Most children are affected by peanut allergy. It is always recommended to treat it sooner because it can lead to adverse future reactions.
Book Food Allergy Tests From Home
3. Soy Allergy
Soy allergy is one of the most common allergies. It occurs when the immune system is misguided about soy and considers it as a harmful product. It develops an antibody against it which causes a reaction whenever soy id =s consumed. However, it is not feasible for everyone to avoid such an important food and thus require proper evaluation to confirm the diagnose.
4. Wheat Allergy
An individual may get wheat allergy either by inhaling it or consuming it orally. You may feel an allergic reaction towards wheat after a few hours of consuming it. Its symptoms can be debilitating including diarrhea, headache, skin inflammation, and cramps.
People often get confused with wheat allergy and celiac disease. It is crucial to understand that Celiac is not a type of food allergy and affects an individual digestive tract. It is an autoimmune disease triggering an abnormal response that needs appropriate nutritional guidelines.
Wheat allergy can put you into trouble and may lead to anaphylaxis, therefore, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
Buy Best Vitamin Supplements from Amazon
5. Milk Allergy
Milk allergy is caused by alpha S1- casein protein found in milk. infants are affected by milk allergy and most of them outgrow on reaching adolescence. Symptoms include hives, wheezing, running nose, itching, and vomiting.
Lactose intolerance shares the same symptoms as milk allergy due to which can be confusing for some people. When the small intestine is impotent and is not able to break lactose completely, it shifts towards the large intestine causing gastrointestinal problems.
A milk allergy can rarely put you into any potential harmful situation.
2. Non – Ige Mediated food allergy
Non- Ige Mediated food allergies are related to the digestive and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, its symptoms are mainly diarrhea and vomiting which shows its effect after several days of exposure to allergic foods. The best treatment for such allergies is to avoid exposure to certain foods.
Treatment
The simplest way to control food allergy is to steer clear of those foods that influence such reactions. It can also be treated to some extent when they arise.
Oral Immunotherapy
One such treatment is Oral Immunotherapy that is effective in handling peanut allergies by raising the quantity of allergen to improve the threshold that causes abnormal reactions. This therapy helps in preventing accidental ingestion of the allergen. This therapy is a long-term process that can take several years or lifetime care. It is mainly treated in children below 17 years of age.
Medications for food allergy
You can take some of the medications in case of an allergic reaction:
- Antihistamines
You can take these medications either in liquid form or tablet form. People who suffer from slight food allergies can benefit from it. Antihistamines are very effective in obstructing the path of the harmful chemicals released by histamines.
2. Epinephrine
This medication should be taken by those diagnosed with a more potentially life-threatening type of food allergy that is anaphylaxis. Epinephrine helps to regulate blood pressure by compressing blood vessels and reposing the airways. It is advisable to always carry an epinephrine auto-injector while going out.
Conclusion
Food allergy occurs in kids but it gets cured by itself, it can be a cause of concern if it persists to continue in adulthood. It is advisable to consult your doctor to confirm your diagnosis and take proper medications. One should not ignore severe symptoms caused by food allergy as it can lead to anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening.
About Author
