Food allergy is an overreaction of the body's immune system to certain food compounds that are actually harmless. Food allergies can be chronic (lasting a long time), or acute (suddenly).
Acute reactions can cause serious life-threatening conditions. This acute allergic reaction is known as anaphylactic shock.
How common are food allergies?
Food allergies are a health condition most often experienced by children and can develop until they are adults. However, there are also some people who have just given rise to allergic reactions when they are adults.
Signs & symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms of food allergies?
Symptoms of food allergies usually get worse in a few minutes to several hours after you eat certain foods. Food allergy signs and symptoms are:
- Tingling or itching sensation in the mouth
- Red spots, itching, or eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, throat, or other body parts
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
- Dizzy
- Feeling you want to faint or faint
For some people, food allergies can stimulate a severe allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock. This can take lives. Signs and symptoms of anaphylactic food allergic reactions are:
- Hard to breathe
- Swollen throat or lumps in the throat that make it difficult for you to breathe
- Experience shock with a decrease in blood pressure
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness, feels faint or loses consciousness
Emergency treatment is very important for anaphylactics. Patients with untreated anaphylactic shock can experience coma until they die.
When should I see a doctor?
Visit a doctor or allergist (immunologist) if you have food allergy symptoms immediately after eating. If possible, visit your doctor when an allergic reaction occurs. This can help your doctor make a diagnosis.
Immediately bring the patient to the emergency room and look for emergency treatment if food allergy signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock occur.
Cause Food Allergies
What are food allergens?
When you have a food allergy, your immune system overreacts to compounds in certain foods that are actually harmless. This makes your immune system stimulate cells to release antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to analyze foods that are thought to be harmful or have food particles (allergens).
These substances ultimately cause food allergy signs and symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms of food allergies are runny nose, itchy eyes, dry throat, red rash or hives that appear itchy, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, to anaphylactic shock.
Food allergies are most often stimulated by some proteins from seafood such as shrimp, fish, lobster and crabs, nuts such as walnuts and nutmeg, and eggs. In children, food allergies are generally stimulated by proteins in eggs, milk, nuts, beans, and wheat.
Keep in mind that to be able to produce an allergic reaction, the body needs some time, even years. Substances that cause allergies must be at a certain point so that an allergic reaction can emerge. This substance can enter the body many times without causing an allergic reaction.
However, when the substance has crossed the line, the new body will react. Therefore, it is not surprising if there are some people who have just experienced an allergic reaction when they are adults or teenagers.
Risk factors
What increases my risk for food allergies?
Risk factors for food allergies are:
- Family history. You are at high risk of having food allergies if you have a family with a history of food allergies.
- Have other allergies. If you have an allergy to one food, you are at high risk of experiencing allergies to other foods. Likewise, if you have other types of allergic reactions, such as dust allergies, your risk of having food allergies becomes greater.
- Age. Food allergies generally occur in children, especially small children and infants. When you grow up, your digestive system becomes more mature and your body minimizes digesting food that stimulates allergies.
- Asthma. Asthma and food allergies generally occur together. When this happens, food allergies and asthma, the symptoms of both tend to be more severe.
Factors that increase your risk for anaphylatic reactions, including:
- Have a history of asthma
- Aged or younger
- Too late to use epinephrine to treat your food allergy symptoms
Medicine & Medicine
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.
What are the options for treating food allergies?
Here are some choices of food allergy drugs based on their severity:
- For mild reactions, prescription food allergies or recommended antihistamines can help you reduce symptoms. These drugs can be taken after you know the foods that trigger allergies. However, antihistamines cannot treat anaphylactic shock.
- For anaphylactic shock, a powerful food allergy drug is injecting epinephrine and emergency help at the hospital. Many people with allergies carry epinephrine injections everywhere (EpiPen, Twinjet, or Auvi-Q). This tool is a combination of sprays and needles to inject a single dose of medicine when pressed into your thighs.
What are the usual tests for food allergies?
There is no standard test used to detect or determine food allergies. Your doctor will diagnose based on a description of the symptoms of your food. In addition, the doctor will also carry out skin tests (skin prick), urine tests, or food trials to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment at home
What are the lifestyle changes or home remedies to overcome food allergies?
Some ways to overcome food allergies are:
- Avoid foods that can trigger allergies.
- Read food labels carefully before buying or preparing food.
- Learn how to use hypo-allergenic injections and teach people around you, if you suddenly experience anaphylactic shock. Always carry food allergy medications wherever you go.
- Use a medical bracelet or necklace as a sign that people know that you have allergies.
- Tell your family, caregivers, and teachers if your child has a food allergy.
- Wash the equipment carefully before preparing baby food. This can help prevent allergens.