Signs Of Food Allergy

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Food allergy can be complicated to detect as it can easily be mistaken for food poisoning. However, there are lots of fundamental differences between food poisoning and food allergy – food poisoning is a one off occurrence that can happen from any type of food that is externally contaminated while food allergy is a persistent reaction to a particular food that results in a reaction with the immune system. But it is important to know what the signs of food allergies can be.

One can be allergic to any kind of food that their immune system fails to detect as a food and ends up classifying it under a threat. This results in the activation of the immune system to fight the entry of the food into the body. There are some foods that generally causes allergic reactions like cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soy and wheat. A person can be allergic to just one or multiple foods. In many cases, some of the symptoms of food allergy can be fatal, which compel people to take extreme precautions to avoid them.

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General symptoms or signs of food allergy can be itching or swelling of the mouth, tongue or lips. In some cases food allergy leads to skin reactions like eczema, hives, swelling and redness. One may look for signs like gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. Some foods lead to allergic reactions that affect respiratory symptoms leading to runny or stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing etc. Some men can experience cardiovascular symptoms due to food allergy where they experience a drop in blood pressure, light-headedness, and fainting. In many cases it is important to seek immediate medical attention no matter how cautious you have been.

Read more to know how you can tell if you have any food allergies.

1.Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance, which is the most common allergy also referred sometimes as dairy intolerance, occurs when your body fails to digest lactose. Lactose is present in milk and dairy products such as yoghurt and soft cheese. The main symptoms of this food allergy are diarrhoea and stomach pain. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose lactose intolerance by looking at your symptoms and medical history.

2.Gas, cramps, or bloating
Once the food you are allergic to reaches your digestive system, you would start to experience signs such as gas, cramps or bloating. Gas formation in your stomach can be as a result of reaction to foods such as peanuts. Even though gas formation is a normal occurrence, you can differentiate the signs by noticing sudden formation of gas and excess release of gas due to bloating.

3.Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
Sometimes the allergic reaction to food in your stomach can cause more severe symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea etc., which causes mild to extreme loss of energy and body fluids. It could be due to indigestion or non-capability of your digestive system to process complex protein you would have consumed.

4.Skin allergy
All of the symptoms of food allergy occur within a few minutes to an hour of eating. Hence, you must be able to notice and differentiate skin related reactions due to food by its timing. When the allergic food fails to stop in your digestive system, allergens are absorbed and enter the bloodstream. When they reach the skin, allergens can induce hives or eczema causing rashes and itching on your skin.

5.Blood contamination
Once the allergens are absorbed and enter the bloodstream, it is difficult to know how they react and affect you. As the allergens travel through the blood vessels, they can cause light-headedness, weakness, rapid heart rate and anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a sudden drop in blood pressure. Anaphylactic reactions are severe even when they start off with mild symptoms, such as a tingling in the mouth and throat or discomfort in the abdomen.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.