Food Allergy Symptoms

     For many people, an allergic reaction to a food may cause discomfort, but it is not severe.  However, for other people, food allergies can cause a very frightening and even life-threatening symptom.  These symptoms will typically develop within a few minutes up to an hour after the allergen has been consumed. 

     Some of the most common symptoms of food allergy include hives, itching, eczema, tingling in the mouth, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, or other parts of the body, wheezing, difficulty breathing, or nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting. 

     In very severe cases, anaphylaxis can occur.  This is a severe reaction which can cause life-threatening symptoms.  You may begin to feel dizzy, lightheaded, lose consciousness, have a rapid pulse, experience shock with a severe drop in your blood pressure, a constriction or a tight feeling in your airways, or a swollen lump or throat that makes breathing difficult. 

    Some people experience what is called exercise-induced food allergy, which is an allergic reaction that is tied to a food and is triggered by exercise.  When the body is stimulated by exercise, a person with this type of allergy may begin to feel lightheaded and itchy.  In more serious cases, reactions like hives or anaphylaxis can occur.  If you avoid certain foods and avoid eating directly before exercising, you may be able to prevent this problem. 

     Other people experience pollen-food allergy syndrome, in which the mouth begins to tingle or itch when people who have hay fever eat certain nuts and spices, or fresh fruit and vegetables.  This syndrome, otherwise known as oral allergy syndrome, can cause swelling in your throat or even anaphylaxis.  The proteins that are in the fruits and vegetables can cause this reaction since they are similar to allergy-causing proteins in certain pollens.  Cooking your fruits and vegetables may help you with this situation because the cooked fruits and vegetables rarely cause cross-reactive oral allergy symptoms. 

    If you experience a constriction of your airways and difficult breathing, shock with a rapid drop in blood pressure, a fast pulse, or lightheadedness or dizziness, you need to seek emergency treatment. 

Causes of Food Allergies

     If you have a food allergy, your immune system has identified a food or a substance contained in a food as a substance that means you harm.  This causes your immune system to trigger cells that release antibodies called immunoglobulin E that will fight the allergen in the food.  This means that the next time you eat the food, and it may be even be a very tiny portion, the antibodies will sense it and signal to your immune system to release histamines and other chemicals into your bloodstream.  These chemicals can cause many signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction.  They are responsible for causing itchy eyes, rashes and hives, dry throat, runny nose, nausea, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, and even anaphylactic shock.  Most food allergies are triggered by peanuts, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, and eggs.  For children, the most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.