EnglishFood allergies
A food allergy is when the body’s immune system wrongly sees the food as hostile and the body’s defense mechanism springs into action. This produces a range of symptoms which can vary from mild itching to severe breathing difficulties or even shock. These symptoms usually happen immediately after eating the food.
The most common food allergy signs and symptoms include:
- Tingling or itching in the mouth
- Hives, itching or eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat or other parts of the body
- Wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing
- Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness, light-headedness or fainting
Although allergic reactions are often mild, they can be very serious. In the most serious cases, a person has a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which can be life threatening, signs and symptoms, including
- Constriction and tightening of the airways
- A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in your throat that makes it difficult to breathe
- Shock with a severe drop in blood pressure
- Rapid pulse
In the UK, an estimated 2 million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy, and about 10 people die every year from food-induced anaphylaxis.
People suffering severe reactions need emergency expert help from a trained paramedic, usually with injectable adrenaline.
Food allergy risk factors include:
- Family history: If asthma, eczema, hives or allergies such as hay fever are common in family, there is an increased risk of food allergies.
- Other allergies: Being allergic to one food may have an increased risk of becoming allergic to another. Similarly, if a person have other types of allergic reactions, such as hay fever or eczema, the risk of having a food allergy is greater.
- Age: Food allergies are more common in children, especially toddlers and infants. As people grow older, their digestive system matures and their body is less likely to absorb food or food components that trigger allergies. Children typically outgrow allergies to milk, soy, wheat and eggs. Severe allergies and allergies to nuts and shellfish are more likely to be lifelong. In the UK, between 1-2% of adult have a food allergy, 5-8% of children have a food allergy.
- Asthma: Asthma and food allergy commonly occur together. When they do, both food allergy and asthma symptoms are more likely to be severe.
Factors that may increase the risk of developing an anaphylactic reaction include:
- Having a history of asthma
- Being a teenager or younger
- Delaying use of epinephrine to treat food allergy symptoms