Food Allergy Treatment

Food allergies are becoming extremely common. There has been a substantial increase in severe food allergy cases in the last few years. Food allergy also called as food intolerance or food hypersensitivity is the reaction triggered by the immune system to harmless foods. Food allergies occur in sensitive people when they eat, inhale or come into contact with even tiny amounts of foods or food additives. These allergic reactions can be very mild or may be life-threatening. Symptoms of food allergy usually occur immediately after eating. These symptoms are mainly related to stomach and intestines. Symptoms may include skin rash, hives, itchy skin, swollen lips or eyelids, tightness of the throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, cramping and diarrhoea among others. A severe food allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis.

In children the most common foods to cause severe allergic reactions include peanuts, other legumes, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, soybeans among others, while in adults allergy causing food include Peanuts, Tree nuts, Fish, Crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs, and lobster, Mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels, fruits, vegetables, etc.
Food allergy can be treated by avoiding the allergic foods. Once the problem food is identified to which the patient is sensitive, the food must be removed from the patient's diet. Special diets must be used for treating food allergies. Topical skin creams can also be used get some relief. You can take in more of Vitamin C as it is an anti-allergen supplement. Immunotherapy is also used to treat food allergies by modifying the immune response to allergenic foods. In case of a skin rash, take cool showers or apply cool compresses and wear light clothing that doesn't irritate your skin.
In case of severe food allergy, the most common medication prescribed is injectable epinephrine, such as EpiPen or Twinject. In case of less severe allergies, the most common prescription includes antihistamines which helps in controling your reaction and relieve discomfort. Immunotherapy can also be used to treat food allergies by modifying the immune response to allergenic foods.