Food Allergy
The majority of people who have an adverse reaction to foods do not have a true food allergy, but rather a food intolerance. A true food allergy is an immunologic response to exposure to a certain food. Let’s take for example WT who is allergic to peanuts.
- On initial exposure to peanuts, WT’s body mistakenly identifies the peanut as harmful. Because of this, his body will initiate the production of specific allergic antibodies know as immunoglobulin E (IgE) to peanuts.
- The next time that WT is exposed to peanuts, even in the slightness amount, the IgE will trigger the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators into his bloodstream, which can result in an allergic symptoms
- Allergic symptoms can be:
- MILD- Nasal or eye symptoms, itching, tingling sensation
- MODERATE- Hives, swelling, flushing
- SEVERE- Swelling of the throat, respiratory distress, loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping and/or diarrhea
Previous reactions may not necessarily predict subsequent reactions
Food intolerance can sometimes share symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea. But unlike a true food allergy, food intolerance typically does not involve an immune (IgE) response and one can generally tolerate a small amount without causing symptoms. However, food allergies, even a small amount, can lead to life threatening symptoms. Examples of food tolerances are:
- Food poisoning
- Lactose intolerance
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Celiac disease
If you suspect you have a food allergy , consider making an appointment with one of our providers who can evaluate and determine which test would be most appropriate
