Allergies are caused by your immune system’s response to food that it perceives as harmful, with symptoms that range from mild to severe reactions ranging from itchy skin or irritation of respiratory organs to cardiovascular system inflammation and anaphylaxis (the most serious reaction).
Food allergies to milk, eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish, tree nuts and peanuts are among the most prevalent. People with these sensitivities should always keep an epinephrine emergency kit handy at all times.
Symptoms
Immune systems protect us against germs, but when a person has food allergies, their immune systems overreact and treat certain foods as potentially toxic, leading to symptoms ranging from mild to severe and life-threatening reactions. If symptoms worsen rapidly it is essential that medical attention be sought immediately – use your Epi-pen if experiencing severe symptoms and contact 911 immediately for emergency help!
Common symptoms of food allergies are hives, swelling, itchy mouth or throat and difficulty breathing. More serious reactions, known as anaphylaxis, may even be life-threatening and must be treated immediately with injections of epinephrine. Allergies usually start shortly after eating the item in question – either minutes later or even hours afterward and can quickly worsen as time goes on.
To properly diagnose a food allergy, it’s best to visit your physician and describe any symptoms you’ve been having, along with when they started. They will perform a physical exam and inquire into any prior health problems you may have; if other allergies, asthma, or eczema exist they could indicate you as at higher risk for food allergy development. They will then conduct allergy tests such as allergen skin tests and antibody blood tests which involve administering small amounts of different food items that cause reactions on your skin prick tests to see which ones cause reactions on you skin pricks for accurate diagnoses of your food allergies.
Diagnosis
If your child has or you suspect they have food allergies, the process can be both frightening and distressing. Accurate diagnosis, testing and guidance from health professionals should be sought immediately to address their needs.
First, your doctor should gather an exhaustive history of your symptoms, from when they started and their severity to potential diagnostic tests that may include skin or blood tests aimed at measuring IgE levels against certain foods – though blood tests tend to provide less precise results immediately than skin tests.
Oral food challenges may also be beneficial, in which the doctor gives gradually increasing amounts of a potential allergen while monitoring for any reactions. These tests should preferably take place at a clinic or hospital where immediate medical help can be accessed in case there’s a severe reaction that requires immediate medical intervention.
If your symptoms are mild, nonprescription antihistamines may provide relief. If they become severe, however, visit an emergency room or call an ambulance immediately; those experiencing life-threatening reactions should carry an epinephrine injection such as Adrenaclick (EpiPen). Research is ongoing into whether desensitising certain food allergies might be possible but this service is currently not offered through NHS.
Treatment
At present, the only effective treatment for food allergies is avoidance – something which may prove challenging when considering that children may come into contact with offending items at school or restaurants. New treatments include oral immunotherapy; which gradually exposes patients to allergens over time until tolerance develops for it.
Some individuals experience symptoms only hours after eating an offending food, which can be severe and life-threatening. They include symptoms like tingling or itching in their mouth or throat, swelling of lips, face, tongue and other parts of body swelling of lips face tongue other body parts stomach pain diarrhea difficulty with breathing (especially wheezing), shock with a drop in blood pressure.
Most foods that cause allergic reactions are proteins, such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat and soy. People suffering from conditions like eczema and hay fever have an increased risk of food allergies.
Healthcare professionals can diagnose food allergies by interviewing their patient about symptoms, conducting a physical exam and collecting their family history. A skin test may also be ordered to detect whether there are antibodies present against certain foods; or they can do a food challenge test where gradually increasing amounts are eaten at regular intervals while being closely monitored for reactions; to ensure accuracy it should take place at either a doctor’s office or hospital with access to emergency medicines (Adrenaclick/EpiPen).
Prevention
Food allergies occur when our immune systems react abnormally to certain proteins found in food products, which may range from mild symptoms such as lip itch and hives to severe reactions such as swelling of tongue, lips or throat and wheezing or shortness of breath (anaphylaxis).
Food allergies cause specific IgE antibodies to form and attack specific foods, rendering the person sensitized permanent. There is no known cure for food allergies; therefore the best strategy for prevention is avoiding foods which trigger allergies – read labels carefully as ingredients may alter over time or have different names; some individuals have had success using oral immunotherapy – a treatment in which tiny doses of allergens are given under medical supervision in small doses to try and relieve their symptoms.
Talk with family and friends about your food allergies; they can keep an eye out for potential issues and provide support in managing it. Be sure to notify school personnel and caregivers, so arrangements can be made if there is an allergic reaction in class or daycare. Similarly, carry an adrenalin autoinjector such as EpiPen with you for emergencies in case a severe reaction arises; in fact this requirement has become law in the U.S. for those living with life-threatening food allergies.
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