Diagnosing Food Allergies

Food allergies can be deadly; even minor allergic reactions could result in fatal outcomes without immediate treatment.(1)

Symptoms may range from tingling in the mouth and throat, swelling of tongue, constricted airways resulting in difficulty breathing or shock with sudden drops in blood pressure.

Symptoms

First step to diagnosing food allergies is identifying which food triggers symptoms. After that, read ingredient labels carefully when purchasing food; manufacturers are required to list eight of the most prevalent allergens on product labels – but some derived from allergenic substances (like peanut, milk or soy) may appear under multiple names on product packaging.

If you or your child suspect a food allergy, visit your physician as soon as possible. They will take into account symptoms as well as performing a physical exam (listening to your lungs). Furthermore, your physician can check for other possible conditions that cause similar symptoms, like lactose intolerance and celiac disease.

Food allergies result from your immune system mistaking a protein found in certain foods as a threat, producing antibodies called IgE antibodies in order to defend itself against it. When you consume this food again, these IgE antibodies bind with it and release chemicals that lead to an allergic response – usually within two hours after indulging.

Symptoms can range from minor, such as hives or hoarseness, to more serious forms like trouble breathing and sudden drop in blood pressure (anaphylactic shock). If you suspect anaphylaxis has set in, use your epinephrine auto-injector and call 911 immediately – this may reduce or stop further symptoms from manifesting themselves; without emergency treatment an allergic reaction could even prove fatal.

Diagnosis

Food allergies occur when specific antibodies (IgE) bind with food proteins and release chemicals that cause symptoms, including itching in the mouth or throat, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, hives, vomiting and fainting; in extreme cases this could even result in life-threatening anaphylaxis reactions. People may have more than one food allergy and they can affect any age group; young children are especially prone to them; having other allergies in your family (such as eczema or asthma) increases your risk further for food allergy development.

Food allergies typically stem from IgE-mediated immune reactions; however, certain foods also trigger allergic responses through other specialized immune pathways, including those responsible for eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease and atopic dermatitis.

Food allergy diagnosis begins with a thorough patient history review and physical exam. Most doctors will also perform skin tests to detect IgE antibodies to various foods; blood tests may provide less specific answers but can still provide valuable confirmation.

Avoiding foods known to trigger reactions is the only effective way of completely avoiding reactions, so reading food labels and inquiring with manufacturers as soon as possible about any possible allergens may be important steps towards protecting yourself. Some individuals still suffer severe allergic reactions even after taking all precautions against certain food items; when this occurs, doctors may advise carrying an emergency kit containing an emergency dose of Epinephrine which may reverse any potentially life-threatening reactions.

Treatment

Food allergies are treatable by strictly avoiding those foods which trigger a reaction, including milk, eggs, wheat and soy (these allergies usually subside over time), peanuts tree nuts fish shellfish nut allergies which tend to remain lifelong; while anaphylaxis (an extreme reaction caused by any food triggering anaphylaxis) can even prove fatal.

Medicines are available to alleviate symptoms after an allergic reaction has taken place and to help avoid anaphylaxis. People with food allergies should carry an adrenalin autoinjector such as Adrenaclick, Auvi-Q or EpiPen as well as identification bracelets/necklaces that indicate their condition.

People with food allergies must read food labels carefully to identify which items contain allergens they are sensitive to, avoiding restaurants where servers may not know which ingredients have gone into the dishes they order, as well as highly refined food products like peanut, tree nut or soy oils as these undergo processing processes that separate proteins from their oils.

People with food allergies should consult with a dietitian to seek guidance regarding nutritional supplements and balanced diets, while also learning to recognize any severe reactions and be ready to respond by carrying an epinephrine auto-injector. As research advances rapidly, new treatment options such as oral immunotherapy (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) are being explored – OIT involves gradually taking doses of allergen through oral ingestion to increase tolerance threshold, while with SLIT diluted versions are placed sublingually daily under the tongue daily whereas OIT involves increasing doses of allergen through ingestion while in both cases it increases threshold.

Prevention

Food allergies cannot be eliminated with medication alone; the best way to protect both yourself and your child from them is avoiding foods that trigger them. Most children outgrow allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy; those causing reactions include peanuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts and wheat tend to remain lifelong issues for some people. Avoiding such foods may prove challenging at first; but many find that over time this becomes simpler.

If you or your child experience severe symptoms from food allergy, such as anaphylaxis, seek emergency treatment immediately. Call 911 immediately, and keep emergency epinephrine auto-injectors (Adrenaclick or EpiPen) close at hand at all times.

Health care providers use a combination of history-taking, elimination diet and skin and blood tests to diagnose food allergies. If necessary, your provider may suggest conducting a food challenge test, whereby small amounts of the allergen under supervision are consumed to test for reactions.

Studies suggest that early exposure to common allergens may help protect infants against food allergies, but there’s no definitive proof. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first three days after birth has been linked with reduced risks; however, no evidence suggests avoiding allergens before beginning solid food or using soymilk formula reduces risks. Instead, babies should gradually transition to solid foods including those likely to cause allergies at around six months old, continuing breastfeeding as long as possible.

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