Eating, touching, or inhaling certain foods can trigger an allergic reaction. Although food allergic reactions are often mild, they can be life-threatening, requiring the attention of a specialist. Your allergy specialist will conduct tests and offer an effective treatment plan. Here’s more information about food allergies and how a specialist can help:
Understanding Food Allergies
Nearly 6% of U.S. citizens — children and adults — live with a food allergy. A food allergy is when your body overreacts to substances in certain foods. Your immune system tends to identify these substances, usually proteins, as potentially dangerous. It reacts by triggering a protective response to fight these foods.
While you can experience an allergy to anything, certain foods are more likely to trigger this reaction. Such foods include peanuts, cow’s milk, fish, and tree nuts. Individuals with hay fever can also have a food allergy after eating certain vegetables and fruits. If you think you have a food allergy, check for symptoms like hives, swelling on the tongue, lightheadedness, and vomiting. You may feel weak or dizzy in severe situations.
How Specialists Help With a Food Allergy
Whether you have mild or severe food allergies, you need to see a provider for evaluation and treatment. Individuals with food allergies might experience higher levels of stress and anxiety when finding foods to eat. Here’s how an allergy specialist will diagnose and treat your food allergy:
Diagnosing a Food Allergy
Before an allergy test, your specialist will ask about the food you suspect caused the allergic reaction. They may also ask about your symptoms and review your medical history. If your symptoms point to a food allergy, providers may conduct a skin or blood test.
A skin test involves exposing a certain part of your skin to allergy-causing foods. If your skin shows a reaction in a short period of time, such as a red, itchy bump, you might be allergic to those foods. When it comes to an allergy blood test, providers measure the levels of IgE antibodies related to allergy-causing foods. If the level of IgE antibodies is higher than normal, you probably have a food allergy.
Treating a Food Allergy
While there is no proven treatment for certain food allergies, it is possible to outgrow some allergies as you get older. You can also avoid eating or touching allergy-causing foods to keep yourself free from allergic reactions. Even with careful avoidance, it’s not uncommon to accidentally encounter allergens. Your specialist may recommend several medications to help reduce the uncomfortable symptoms caused by a food allergy. Such medications include over-the-counter epinephrine or antihistamines.
Seek Help for Severe Food Allergies
The easiest way to deal with your food allergy is by eliminating allergy-causing foods from your diet. If you accidentally touch or ingest those foods, your allergy specialist can help. Although there’s no known cure, your provider may recommend certain strategies or medications to reduce food allergy symptoms. Contact a trusted allergy specialist today to understand how they can help you with your food allergies.
