Symptoms of food allergies may be quite rare. You might not believe this, but only 1 of 70 adults suffer from food allergies true. Food poisoning or even food intolerances are sometimes confused with a food allergy due to similarities in the symptoms. If you do not know if you are allergic to a particular food, you should learn how to decipher what the classic food allergy is.
Affecting mainly children, food allergy is a disease where the body's immune system defends a substance that it considers harmful. The known allergic reaction is a sign that the body tries to overcome allergens. Doctors usually perform test to determine and confirm your food allergies. They may even ask you questions about the overall health of your family since food allergy is supposed to be partly hereditary. If your doctor detects a history of eczema or asthma, hay fever, then you have a higher risk of having a food allergy.
A true allergic reaction usually starts with a swelling and itching in the throat, tongue and mouth. Other symptoms of allergies include skin reactions, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, nose running and sore eyes, red and itching. An allergic reaction may begin the moment that it ingests the food you're allergic. However, the symptoms may take longer to develop, sometimes several hours. Anaphylactic shock is the worst risk of allergic reactions. It might cause severe swelling, unconsciousness, lowering blood pressure and breathing difficulties. If not given proper medical care, it could eventually lead to death. As you can see, it is important to treat the symptoms of food allergy immediately.
Foods that cause allergies include peanuts, shellfish, nuts and fish. Some children develop allergies to milk cow, soy, eggs, wheat and seafood. If you are allergic to a particular food, you can have a reaction to other food allergens. This is what is called cross-reactivity. Your dietitian and doctor could help you identify what foods to avoid and prevent allergic reactions.
If you're still not sure if you have a food allergy, you should consult a doctor who specializes in allergies. You would be asked questions about the symptoms that you feel after eating a food, the amount of the particular food you ate, the preparation and preservation of food, medicine that you have taken to relieve the symptoms and effective drug. All these can help diagnose your food allergy.
It is very important that you consult a specialist in food allergies. You should never, under any circumstances, try to identify foods that you are allergic to yourself. Do not forget that allergic reactions may be severe and you could put you in a very dangerous situation. If you are allergic to something and you touching with it, your body may react in a bad way.
Skin prick tests are sometimes used to diagnose a food allergy. A small amount of food extract is injected on the surface of the skin. An allergic reaction to this food extract will result in swelling and redness of the injection site. Sometimes, there is a false positive reaction to a skin prick test. It would be wise to perform other tests, such as blood for example, to confirm the food allergy and a complete diagnosis.
