Food Allergy Symptoms And Diagnosis

Food Allergy Symptoms And Diagnosis

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Food allergy is an illness when the body's immune system defends itself from a foreign substance that it considers to be harmful. Examples are Shellfish allergy symptoms and Milk allergy symptoms. The allergic reaction experienced is the symptom that the body is trying to overcome the allergy causing substance or allergen. People who suffer from food allergies must have knowledge of their past allergies and avoid those foods foods accordingly. But this will not be helpful to someone who has no idea they are allergic to a food.

Mis diagnosis:
Food poisoning and Food intolerance have similar symptoms as food allergy. Therefore, food allergies are often confused with gastrointestinal disorders, which makes people unaware that they have a health problem other than a food allergy. Children and adults prone to food allergies and cannot consume certain foods or beverages. Babies are sometime allergic to the formula they drink and often are substituted by a soy product.

Symptoms of Food allergy:
The food allergy symptoms can occur hours after eating or within minutes depending on the severity of allergy. The common symptoms are breathing and swallowing difficulties, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea as well as hives and possible asthmas attacks. Among these symptoms, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps can subside in a few days. Many people do not equate respiratory problems with food allergies, but similar to other allergens, food can produce symptoms throughout the respiratory system. You may find yourself experiencing congestion in respiration, a runny nose, sneezing, or nasal symptoms resembling a cold. There can also be an inflammation of the throat and bronchial passages, resulting in wheezing, coughing, and other breathing difficulties. If you feel a tightness of the chest, you should check it out immediately. Asthma attacks are very serious and you should seek medical attention as they can be even fatal.

Diagnosis:
Skin prick tests are common to diagnose a food allergy. A small amount of food extract is injected into the skin surface. If the person is allergic to that food, an allergic reaction to that food extract will result to swelling and redness of the injection site. False positive reactions are possible from a skin prick test. Therefore tt would be wise to perform other tests, like a blood test, to confirm food allergy and complete the diagnosis.
In case of food allergy symptoms, consult your doctor. Doctors run test to determine and confirm your food allergies. They might ask you questions regarding your family's general health since food allergy causes can be partly hereditary. If you a history of eczema, hay fever or asthma, then you might be more prone to a food allergy.

About the Author:
The author has rich experience in medicine and is a specialist in metabolism study. He writes a blog on Shellfish Allergy Symptoms and Milk Allergy Symptoms



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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