A food allergy occurs when a person's immune system identifies proteins in a food as an allergen and begins to produce antibodies - called Immunoglobulin E or IgE - against that food (e.g. nuts or milk).
These antibodies attach themseleves to mast cells in the body, and when the person again eats the allergenic food, the proteins from it become attached to the IgE antibodies. This causes the mast cells to release histamine and other powerful chemicals. It is these chemicals that cause the symptoms of allergy.
The symptoms: Not everyone will get all symptoms, and reaction severity varies widely. The symptoms may include:
-Tingling in the mouth
-Swelling of the tongue and throat
-Itchy skin, hives or skin redness
-Breathing difficulty, wheezing
-Abdominal cramps
-Vomiting
-Faintness due to a sudden drop in blood pressure
-In a severe anaphylactic reaction, the allergic person can lose consciousness and is at risk of death.
Anaphylaxis- This is a serious form of allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and can be fatal. Symptoms may involve the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin and or the cardiovascular system. It is essential that those with food or insect sting allergies carry an epinephrine auto-injector, so treatment can be given promptly while arranging to get to emergency care (call 911 for ambulance).
Source: Allergic Living, Fall 2011.
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