If you tried to eat a different type of food you may have felt fine at first. If, however, you started feeling bad some time after eating this food, you may be allergic to it. You may also feel bad immediately after eating the food. To help you determine whether you have an allergy, below are some symptoms of a food allergy, types of food allergies, and the treatment you will receive if you do find that you are allergic to this food.
Food Allergy Symptoms
Some signs you may notice include fatigue, irritability, constant clearing of throat, or constant sniffing. Other symptoms you can experience are nausea, headaches, pain in your abdomen, diarrhea, and vomiting.
If you have a severe allergy to this food the symptoms will happen quickly. One sign of a severe allergy is having problems breathing. This happens because mucus builds up in your throat blocking your airway or your throat may swell.
The symptoms you have will vary depending on the type of food allergy you have.
Food Allergy Types
There are different types of food allergies. One type is known as Type 1. With this type you will start having symptoms soon after you eat the food. The symptoms you have are often severe and will be noticeable to everyone around you. In a case like this someone needs to call 911 and get you to a hospital quickly. This is because your throat and tongue will swell and prevent you from breathing.
Another type of food allergy is known as Type 2. This type of food allergy is not as severe as Type 1. In most cases, you will start having symptoms sometime later, such as a couple of hours after you eat, instead of immediately. You may not even realize you are having an allergic reaction. This is because you may think you have some type of stomach virus as many people throw up, have abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Food Allergy Testing and Treatment
Make an appointment with an allergist to determine the type of food allergy you have. They can do a skin test. With this the allergist scratches different areas of your skin using a special tool. They will use skin on your back or your forearm. Once the skin is scratched, the allergist will place a small amount of liquid extract of different types of food into the scratched areas. If you are allergic to one or more of the foods, your skin will turn red and whelp.
Once the doctor determines the type of food allergy you have they will tell you to simply avoid it, as this is the best type of treatment. This does mean you will always have to be careful in what you eat and ask cooks what ingredients are used in the food if you eat out at a restaurant.
Talk with a food allergist in your area about this information, or visit a site like http://www.oakbrookallergists.com. They can also go over with you other types of treatments they can offer you.
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