Food Allergies and Treatment

October 30, 2008 by vikas

Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to certain food(s) that the body reacts to as harmful. Estimates of the prevalence of food allergies range from approximately 4% to 8% of children and 2% of adults.1,2 Though reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise. Risk factors associated with food allergy include: family history of asthma and allergies, genetic predisposition to allergic disease, elevated allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin levels (IgE concentrations), and being younger than 3 years of age. There are eight foods that account for 90% of all food-allergy reactions cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts (for example, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews), fish, shellfish, soybeans, and wheat.2,3,4 While 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, 6.9 million are allergic to seafood. Combined, food allergies cause 30,000 cases of anaphylaxis, 2,000 hospitalizations, and 150 deaths annually.2
Symptoms of Food Allergy

Symptoms of a food-allergy reaction can be sudden and severe and commonly include one or more of the following5:

* hives
* tingling in the mouth
* swelling in the tongue and throat
* difficulty breathing
* abdominal cramps
* vomiting or diarrhea
* eczema or rash
* coughing or wheezing
* loss of consciousness
* dizziness

Treatment of Food Allergies

Some types of mild food allergies are treatable with an antihistamine or bronchodilator. Severe, or anaphylactic reactions, require epinephrine. At present, there is no cure for food allergies. The best method for managing food allergies is prevention by way of strict avoidance of any food that triggers a reaction.6

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