Food allergies occur when your immune system misidentifies food proteins as potentially harmful substances and produces antibodies (immunoglobulin E or IgE), which attack them and cause symptoms like hives and swelling; severe allergic reactions can even be life-threatening.
Living with food allergies means avoiding specific foods and carrying an emergency treatment such as epinephrine. Additionally, label reading and education about safe foods is vital.
What is a food allergy?
Food allergies are a condition in which the immune system reacts inappropriately to proteins present in certain foods, often manifesting with symptoms such as hives, swelling of throat or mouth (oral allergy syndrome), and breathing difficulties (anaphylaxis). Most allergic reactions associated with foods are mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE).
People with food allergies may also suffer from an uncomfortable skin rash known as atopic dermatitis or eczema, although this rash is typically less severe than hives caused by food allergies; nonetheless, it still causes itching, rashes and difficulty sleeping – often leaving children more at risk for food allergies as well as asthma and hay fever.
Food allergies are usually diagnosed when someone exhibits signs of allergic reaction after eating a specific food. A doctor may order skin prick or blood tests to diagnose food allergy. Oral food challenges should only be performed under medical supervision because of the potential risk of severe reactions.
Once a person has been diagnosed with food allergy, the most important step should be avoiding offending foods and carrying an adrenalin autoinjector such as EpiPen for any possible severe reactions.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of food allergies include itching in your mouth or throat, swelling of lips, tongue or throat or other parts of your body (hives), trouble breathing, low blood pressure and the feeling that you might faint (anaphylaxis). Individuals who are allergic to certain food products can have more serious reactions that affect multiple organ systems and lead to life-threatening drops in blood pressure and blocked airways – this condition is known as systemic anaphylaxis and should be treated immediately with an adrenaline injection such as Adrenaclick Auvi-Q or EpiPen).
If you suffer from severe allergies, always carry a medical device containing epinephrine for emergencies. Notify family, friends, teachers and caregivers of your allergy as well as symptoms to watch for. Plan meals and snacks when travelling or attending events accordingly in order to prevent accidental exposure.
Food allergies occur when your immune system – designed to protect you against infections and other threats – misunderstands proteins found in certain foods as a threat, producing antibodies in response, which releases chemicals causing symptoms that typically begin within minutes or hours later after eating the food in question. Your chances of having food allergies increase significantly if anyone in your immediate family suffers from other allergies like eczema or asthma, or if there is an increased likelihood for allergic reactions in general.
Diagnosis
Food allergies are diagnosed by taking a comprehensive history and performing allergy tests. One such test is known as a skin prick test, in which liquid extracts from suspected allergens are placed directly onto skin (usually the back or arm) before using a device to scratch it back off in an effort to spot reactions. Blood tests can also help identify antibodies related to specific foods.
Doctors typically conduct a medical history review to identify any conditions that may increase your risk for food allergies, such as eczema and asthma. They will ask about symptoms you’ve had after eating certain foods; when and for how long those symptoms occurred; their severity; any sudden drop in blood pressure that requires immediate medical treatment with injectable epinephrine may be life-threatening and should be managed quickly with this therapy.
Food allergies differ from food intolerances or sensitivities in that they involve the immune system, making diagnosis more challenging as symptoms may vary depending on what food and amount is consumed by each individual person.
Treatment
If you suffer from food allergies, the key to successfully treating symptoms is avoiding those foods which cause reactions. This may require completely clearing out your cupboards and refrigerator before purchasing food at specialty stores; reading labels carefully also plays an essential part in this regard, since some allergenic ingredients could be hiding under different names; your physician can provide assistance in recognizing such ingredients.
Medication may help relieve some allergy symptoms, including nonprescription antihistamines. If your reaction is severe enough (anaphylaxis), however, your physician will likely prescribe and instruct you in using epinephrine auto-injectors as quickly as possible – this medication could save your life!
Before treating food allergies, your physician will also search for other conditions which could produce similar symptoms. For instance, if diarrhea after eating dairy products occurs, they may check to see if lactose intolerance or celiac disease exist as possible causes.
Food allergies increase the odds of having other conditions such as eczema and asthma, with people more prone to peanut, tree nut and fish allergies more likely than other children to develop severe sensitivities to these foods than others. While most children outgrow milk, egg and wheat allergies as they mature into adulthood; individuals who also have food allergies due to having Atopic Dermatitis may never outgrow these sensitivities altogether.
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