What are the symptoms of food allergy

The manifestations of food allergies range widely, from mild symptoms such as numbness around the mouth and itchy skin for a few minutes after eating to severe symptoms that can directly cause shock or even threaten life. Many people mistakenly believe that only rashes and wheals are allergies. In fact, repeated diarrhea, inexplicable coughing and wheezing, and even joint pain may be related to food allergies.

I met a parent a while ago and brought his 4-year-old child for a checkup. He said that the child has been suffering from eczema on and off for the past six months, and his stools are often unformed. He tried several probiotics and applied eczema cream to no avail. After a final diet check, he found that the symptoms worsened every time he ate snacks containing wheat. After a test, it was confirmed that he was allergic to wheat. This is a non-immediate allergy, and it is most easily dismissed as ordinary gastrointestinal discomfort or skin problems.

Compared with this kind of slow reaction, rapid food allergy is more recognizable. I have a friend who is allergic to cashew nuts. He accidentally picked up some shrimp balls mixed with cashew nuts at a dinner party last time. Within half a minute of swallowing, his throat tightened, his lips quickly swelled into sausage-like shape, and a dense red rash appeared on his arms. He quickly took anti-allergy medicine to relieve it. This kind of acute allergy is mostly an IgE-mediated immune reaction. The onset is fast and the signal is clear, making it difficult to misjudge.

However, there is no completely unified conclusion in the industry regarding chronic food-related adverse reactions. Some scholars believe that only acute reactions mediated by IgE are considered food allergies in the strict sense. Eczema, fatigue, and diarrhea that appear only 1 to 3 days after eating are more suitable to be classified as food intolerance. Some experts believe that as long as they are immune Adverse food reactions induced by the involvement of the immune system can all be included in the broad category of food allergy. For us ordinary people, there is actually no need to worry about classification terms. As long as we find that every time we eat a certain food, we will have unexplained discomfort. Even if there is an interval of one or two days, it is best to take the initiative to write it down and try to avoid such foods.

Special attention should be paid to severe allergic reactions. Once you have difficulty breathing, throat congestion, dizziness and inability to stand after exposure to allergens, do not hesitate to call 120 immediately. This situation is likely to be laryngeal edema or anaphylactic shock. A delay of more than ten minutes may cause serious problems. People with a clear history of severe food allergies are best to keep an epinephrine pen with them. If an accident occurs, administer the drug as soon as possible to gain the most precious treatment time.

There are still many people who confuse food allergies and food poisoning. The simplest way to distinguish is that food poisoning usually affects everyone who eats it together, while food allergies only occur in people who are sensitive to this ingredient. Don't get confused and delay treatment.