Archive for: May 2009

Data from the Mayo Clinic indicates that around two percent of adults in the United States suffer from some type of food allergy. Additionally, child food allergies account for another six percent. While those numbers may look small,  with a total population in excess of 300 million in the United States that translates to 6 million and 18 million folks, respectively.

Much the same as other allergic reactions, food allergies come about due to an over reaction to an allergen by the immune system. In this case, the allergens are typically dairy based products, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and a few other foods.

Since the body sees the ingestion of any of these foods as a foreign invader instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E or IgE for short ready to fight the perceived invader. The antibodies stimulate the release of histamine, prostaglandins and several other compounds that produce the symptoms.

Food allergy symptoms are inclined to be more extensive than those that mark other allergies. These include the possibility of watery eyes and congestion of the nasal passages. However, they are typically accompanied with or even overtaken by such things as swelling of the lips, pharynx or tongue, urticaria or skin hives (itchy red swellings that form on the surface of the skin), nausea, wheezing and even abdominal pain.

Anaphylactic shock can be the result in more serious cases. Anaphylaxis is a systemic (overall body) allergic reaction. It involves some serious symptoms such as dizziness, constricted airways resulting in breathing difficulities and a dramatic decrease in blood pressure. It happens very fast and if left untreated, can sometimes cause death. As many as 200 deaths per year in the United States are as a result of anaphylaxis.

In some cases, allergic reactions to food are localized. For example, some people will experience a tingling feeling in their mouth after eating fresh fruit or vegetables. The cause is considered to be proteins much the same as those found in ragweed pollen.

Professional diagnosis by an allergist is the only way to discover if somebody suffers from food intolerance or a food allergy.

An allergy skin prick test can frequently ascertain whether or not somebody actually has an allergy to particular foods. This procedure involves taking a tiny extract of the suspected substance and inserting it just under the surface of the patients skin. The skin is observed for approximately thirty minutes to note any swelling up or itching in reaction to the extract.

In order to measure the quantity of IgE produced by the body when ingesting a certain food, it may be necessary for a blood test to be taken although this does not always give a definitive answer.

Lactose intolerance, for instance, is stimulated by the genetically induced lack of the digestive enzyme required to safely process cow’s milk. The symptoms may be alike, but this is not an allergic reaction.

The best line of defense for a person with a food allergy is to get rid of the problem food from their diet and surroundings. For example, folks with an known allergy to eggs should simply not ingest eggs or products that are made with them. Others that have a sensitivity peanuts and peanut dust can generally avoid coming into contact with it.

In the absence of any recognized cure for allergies, avoidance is the best medicine for the moment. Even so, symptom relief is possible when accidents happen. Antihistamines are a good choice as is an Epipen or similar device. The latter contains ephinephrine that can be injected by allergy sufferers in an emergency situation caused by exposure to certain allergens. This can stave off a serious attack of anaphylaxis.