What are the Most Common Food Allergies
Data from the Mayo Clinic indicates that about 2 percent of adults in the USA suffer from some type of food allergy. Additionally, child food allergies account for another 6 percent. While those figures may appear low, with a total population of more than three hundred million in the America that translates to six million and 18 million people, respectively.
As with other allergic reactions, a food allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to an allergen. Common food allergens include, but are not limited to, dairy products such as yoghurt, seafood, shellfish, peanuts and eggs.
Responding to contact or consumption, the body releases an antibody called IgE (immunoglobulin E) since it sees the food not as nutrition, but a outside invader. The allergy symptoms are produced as a result of the release of histamine, prostaglandins and various other substances which are stimulated by the antibodies.
In comparison to other allergic reactions, symptoms of food allergies are usually much more comprehensive. Congestion of the nasal passages together with watery eyes are a possibility. But, they are more often accompanied with or overwhelmed by urticaria (itchy red welts that form on the skin), swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, wheezing, sickness and abdominal pain.
In extreme cases, anaphylactic shock can happen. This is a whole body or systemic allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. It involves drastically lowered blood pressure, constricted respiratory tracts resulting in breathing difficulty, lightheadedness and several other serious symptoms. It happens very quickly and if not treated immediately, can ,in some instances, result in the death of the person. In the U.S, some 200 folks a year die as a result of anaphylactic shock.
In some cases, food allergy reactions are localized. For instance, some people will experience a tingling feeling in their mouth after eating fresh fruit or vegetables. The cause is believed to be proteins much the same as those found in ragweed pollen.
Professional diagnosis by an allergist is the only way to find out if a person suffers from food intolerance or a food allergy.
An allergy skin test can frequently discover whether or not somebody really 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 monitored for approximately half an hour to observe any swelling or itching in reaction to the extract.
To be able to guage the amount of IgE produced by the body as a result of consuming a certain food, it may be necessary for a blood test to be taken although the results are not always conclusive.
Lactose intolerance, for example, is stimulated by the genetically induced deficiency of the digestive enzyme necessary to safely process cow’s milk. The symptoms may be similar, but this is not an allergy.
The best line of defense for anybody with a food allergy is to get rid of the problematic food from their diet and environment. For example, individuals with an known allergy to eggs should simply not consume eggs or egg based products. Others that are sensitive to peanuts and peanut dust can generally avoid coming into contact with it.
In the absence of any known cure for allergies, avoidance is the best medicine for the time being. 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 the event of an emergency caused by exposure to certain allergens. This can head off a serious attack of anaphylaxis.
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