Food Allergies

A Food Allergy is a health condition that occurs when your immune system mistakenly treats a particular substance in food (most commonly protein) as if it is harmful to you. An allergic response is how your body reacts to that food (allergen).

There are two Categories of Food Allergies:

Allergies induced by immunoglobulin E (IgE) – symptoms caused by the immune system’s production of IgE antibodies. The majority of content posted on our site relates to IgE-induced food allergies. This type of food allergy can cause anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that can be fatal.

Non-IgE-mediated allergies are when the allergic reaction causes by other parts of the immune system, which also causes symptoms. Many non-IgE-mediated allergic responses. Thought to be triggered by T cells. The production of IgE antibodies does not cause these.

Causes of Food Allergy

Virtually any food or food additive can cause an allergic response. The most common triggers differ by age group.

Infants and young children with a food allergy tend to be allergic to the majority of common allergy triggers (allergens), such as those in the following foods:

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Wheat
  • Peanuts
  • Soy

To prevent the development of these allergies, many parents avoid exposing young children to these foods. However, new proof suggests that regularly feeding infants foods that contain peanuts may help prevent the development of peanut allergy. Further study of this approach is needed.

In elder kids and adults, the most common triggers are food allergens.

  • Nuts
  • Seafood

Being exposed to other food-like allergens (such as pollen) can trigger the production of antibodies against substances found in food, resulting in food allergy. This process is called sensitization. For example, children with peanut allergies may have been sensitized to peanuts when the current cream contains peanut oil to treat rashes. In addition, many people allergic to latex are also allergic to bananas, kiwis, avocados, or several of these fruits. Latex and these fruits contain similar allergens.

Food allergies occur more often in children whose parents have food allergies, allergic rhinitis, or allergic asthma.

Food Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms of food allergies vary depending on the food causing the allergy and the person’s age. It can  associate with sickness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Around age one, the rash tends to be less common, but children may begin to react to inhaled allergens (such as pollen) and show asthma symptoms. They may breathe with difficulty, feel short of breath, or have a runny nose when they eat the allergy-triggering food. Around the age of 10, children rarely show asthma symptoms after consuming the food.

When a food allergy persists in older children or adults, reactions tend to be more severe. In adults, food allergies cause itchy mouth, hives, eczema, swelling ( angioedema ), and sometimes runny nose and asthma. Food allergies sometimes cause symptoms such as dizziness or fainting.

In some adults with food allergies, ingesting even a minute amount of the offending food can trigger a sudden and severe reaction. A rash may cover the whole body, the throat may swell, and the airways become narrow, causing difficulty breathing; this is a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

In some people, allergic reactions to foods (especially wheat or shrimp) only occur if physical activity is done immediately after taking the food ( exercise-induced allergic responses). Some allergic reactions to food take hours to expand and cause abdominal pain, nausea, cramps, or diarrhea.

Prevention of Food Allergy

For many years, doctors have advised against feeding infants foods that frequently trigger an allergic reaction to prevent food allergies. However, new proof suggests that regularly feeding infants foods that contain peanuts may help prevent the development of peanut allergy. Further study of this approach  need.

It powerfully recommended that parents consult their pediatrician about the best way to prevent peanut allergy in their child.

Food Allergy Treatment

  • Elimination diet
  • Medicines to alleviate symptoms
  • People with food allergies must remove the foods responsible for their allergies from their diet.

Desensitization, which involves removing food first before ingesting it in small amounts or placing drops of food extracts under the tongue, consider. For example, a new peanut formula helps people with peanut allergies reduce their sensitivity to peanuts.

Antihistamines are only helpful to relieve hives or swelling. Cromolyn, taken by mouth, can moreover relieve symptoms. This form of cromolyn is only available by direction.

People with severe food allergies should take antihistamines with them to take immediately in case of a reaction. They should also have an auto-injectable adrenaline syringe to use in case of a severe reaction.

Concussion

An allergen is a category of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous protected response. The immune arrangement fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions called allergies.