A food allergy occurs when your system reacts to food ingested and triggering a protective response. The allergy can develop from any age with the reaction being mild to severe. According to research, 10 % of the population suffers from food allergy and the numbers keep on increasing. In this post, we highlight some of the most common signs of allergy and how to differentiate between food intolerance and food allergy and the treatment of food allergy. It’s important however that you consult the allergy doctor on the best way to overcome the allergies. Before we dive into the article we differentiate between food intolerance and food allergy

• Food Intolerance

This is the difficulty in digesting certain foods without triggering any reaction from the immune system and there is no histamine response.

• Food allergy, on the other hand, causes immune system reaction and histamine response.

It may be hard to tell food intolerance and allergy are hard to tell apart and it’s important that you visit the allergy clinic for the allergy doctor to do allergy testing to determine whether its an allergy or intolerance.

How to differentiate between food allergies and intolerance

• Food allergy is sudden as compared to intolerance which is gradual
• Food allergy results from the small number of foods
• Allergy can be life-threatening and happens every time you eat as compared to food intolerance which is not life-threatening and results if you eat the food often.

Foods that cause Most of the Allergy

• Milk and Eggs
• Peanuts and seafood
• Tree nuts

Symptoms that result from both food intolerance and food allergy

• Nausea and stomach pains
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Signs of Food intolerance
• Heart Burn, gas and bloating
• Headaches and irritability

Signs of Food Intolerance

• Bloating and nausea
• Headaches and migraines
• stomach ache and irritable bowel
• Feeling under the weather

Above are the most common signs of food intolerance, and below some food that causes intolerance

• Lactose and wheat
• Gluten and caffeine
• Food additives such as flavors

Before you give up on the above food, see a doctor who will diagnose and confirm the cause of the intolerance. Remove the food that causes the intolerance from your diet and supplements the foods.

Sign of Food Allergies

• Wheezing

Wheezing after eating certain foods signifies a narrowing of the airwaves and an allergic reaction to the food. Wheezing can be fatal and its therefore important that you see the allergy physician for treatment.

• Hives and Redness

Are you breaking out in hives? or itch? Then it’s possible that you have a food allergy. Hives cause a red rash that is raised on the skin. On its own hives or itch may not be harmful but if it involves difficulty in breathing then you need to see an allergy specialist immediately.

• Dizziness

After eating food if you feel dizzy, weak or lightheaded that could mean you are exposed to allergens. Dizziness could be an early sign of anaphylactic and it’s important that you visit an allergy clinic for tests and treatment.

• Intestinal Discomfort

A food allergy could cause stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting and you should see the best allergist for diagnosis.

• Sneezing and Itching

Although sneezing is mostly associated with hay fever, it can result from food allergies.

How to Prevent Food Allergies

• Learn which foods cause the allergy and avoid the food.
• When you visit a hotel, find out how the food is made and verify whether the food contains any allergens.
• Look at the food labels and check the ingredients in the food at the supermarket
• Avoid products with labels for you’re the specific allergen that is affecting you
• Plan before traveling, plan your meals and carry food with that has no allergens
• Supplement the foods you are allergic to as that will ensure that you remain healthy.

There is no cure for food allergies and it’s therefore important that you manage the condition. Pursue a plan on how to identify allergens. An elimination diet will help you pinpoint the food allergens that you are allergic to and help reduce the allergy symptoms. Work with the allergy physician to come up with a written diet plan and follow it diligently. If the symptoms persist make sure you consult your allergist Manassas.

Different people react differently to medicine, one person will have a severe reaction, while the other person does not react to the same medicine. Most medications have side effects, but only a small percentage of the reaction is a drug allergy. Differentiating between side effects and allergies is essential. Drug allergy can be mild or life-threatening cases, and it’s, therefore, crucial to follow the prescription as advised by the doctor.

Signs of Drug Allergies

If you experience any of the below allergies, ensure you visit your allergist for a check-up

• Hives or skin rashes
• Wheezing and breathing problems
• Itching and swelling
• Anaphylaxis which may result in shock if severe. In case you experience severe allergic reactions to more than one body, immediately consult an allergy physician.

Drugs that cause most allergic reactions

• Antibiotics that contain sulfamides
• Anti-inflammatory medications such ibuprofen, and medications such as aspirins
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Anticonvulsants

How to Diagnose drug allergy

Before the doctor takes the allergy test, he will seek to know the following

• How long you have had the allergy reaction
• Description of the symptoms and when they began
• All the medication that has been taken

To precisely differentiate between side effects and drug allergies, the following test can be done

• Skin Test

The test will mostly show penicillin allergy

• Blood test

The allergy doctor may order for a blood test to rule out any other cause of the reaction other than the drugs. Although this test is rarely used to test allergies because their accuracy is unknown

• Drug Challenge

The process involves ruling out which drug is causing the reaction out of the all the drug one is taking. The doctor will inject a small amount of the medications you are taking to help rule out any other

Drug Allergy Treatment

Treatment for drug allergy will include the following

• Treatment for the drug allergy one is currently facing
• Medications to enable you to take the drug causing an allergy if it’s vital for your well-being, and there is no better supplement

Treatment of symptoms one is currently facing will involve

• Withdrawal of the drug causing allergy

The allergy physician will prescribe a different drug and withdraw the one causing the allergy

•  Medication

Antihistamines

The  allergy doctor will prescribe an antihistamine to treat the allergy symptoms

Ora or injection of corticosteroids will treat more severe inflammations

Treatment for drugs that one must take

The allergy doctor will carry out a procedure known as drug decentralization. The doctor will give you the medications in small doses until there is no more allergic reaction. If the drug causes life-threatening reactions, then the doctor will have to discontinue the medications.

Once the drug allergy reaction starts, ensure you visit an allergy clinic in va immediately for a check-up. Ensure you give a detailed description to your doctor of all the symptoms.

Ocular allergies tend to develop when the immune system of the body becomes sensitive and overreacts to certain elements in the environment, which might or might not be harmful to the body. As soon as the allergens come into contact with the antibodies of your eyes, the cells release histamine immediately along with other substances that make the tiny blood vessels inside the eyes leak. As a result, the eyes become red, watery and itchy. In most of the cases, the symptoms of ocular allergies are strikingly similar to many eye diseases, which make it difficult to diagnose the problem unless you opt for the specific allergy testing methods.

 Common symptoms of ocular allergies:

The most common types of eye allergies are seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, perennial allergic conjunctivitis, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, giant papillary conjunctivitis or contact allergic conjunctivitis. The symptoms of these eye allergies are often accompanied by sneezing, coughing or a runny nose which are common symptoms of nasal allergies.

The common symptoms include:

• Burning eyes
• Redness
• Fluid discharge
• Itching

What triggers eye allergies?

The common allergens which cause ocular allergies are pollens, weeds, mold, pet dander, dust mites and irritants such as perfume, smog, cigarette smoke or vehicle exhausts. People suffering from eye allergies for a prolonged period may also develop severe dark circles under their eyes. Sometimes, the eyelids become puffy and the eyes are unable to tolerate bright lights. At times the itchiness becomes so severe, that the patients are unable to stop themselves from scratching or rubbing their eyes and ultimately end up worsening up the infections.

How to deal with ocular allergies?

In order to keep ocular allergies at bay, you should avoid the allergens which trigger the problem.

• Try to stay indoors, during the high pollen period of the day. Use HEPA efficiency air purifier and air conditioning system, in your bedroom and car.
• Using mite-proof bedding to combat the dust mites.
• Use a dehumidifier in your home, to restrict mold growth.
• Wash your hands and change your clothes whenever you return home from outside or play with your pets.
• Try to cover your eyes with high-quality sunglasses, to shield them.

Effective medications to deal with emergency situations:

Whenever there is an emergency situation, but you are unable to visit the allergy clinic to get hold of the allergy shots or immunotherapy, or the eye drops you may try out these simple yet effective medicines, which are readily sold in the medical stores without any prescription.

1. Decongestant eye drops
2. Artificial tears
3. The antihistamines

However, it is always better to consult an eye allergy specialist doctor because, the decongestant eye drops may not work after repeated usage or the antihistamines might dry up your eyes excessively, leading to other problems.

If you have asthma you need to know how to manage it for you to live a productive life and also avoid complications. To help you out, here are tips on how to manage the condition:

Take the medications regularly

Most asthmatics make the mistake of stopping taking their asthma treatments as soon as the symptoms go away, but this shouldn’t be you. Remember that when you stop taking a given medication, you expose yourself to the condition. To be on the safe side, you need to know the controller and rescue medications.

To protect yourself, take the controller medications daily. You should take the rescue medications when the symptoms come up.

Watch the weather

You need to know how your body responds to the various weather conditions. In most people, the situation is triggered when they spend time in cold, dry air. To protect yourself, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose when you are going out in the cold.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies and are affected by high pollen and mold count, avoid going out in the middle of the day or when there is a lot of wind.

Watch the air getting in the house

The most common asthma triggers that get in the house with the air are: smoke, pollen, and polluted air. To protect yourself, watch the quality of air that you allow into the house. One of the things you should do is to install an air conditioner. You also should make a habit of keeping your house windows closed all the time, especially when there are many triggers in the air.

If insects trigger your condition, consider installing a window screen that will prevent the bugs from getting into the house.

Disinfect your home

According to allergy experts, there is a direct link between hygiene and allergy-triggering agents. If you have pests in the house, it’s only a matter of time before you develop the condition. If there are cockroaches in the house, install cockroach traps. You also should consider hiring a pest control company to help you out.

To ensure that no pests get access to your home, seal any leaks and cracks that might be in your home. Also, avoid leaving drinks, dirty plates, and food on the table.

Conclusion

These are tips on how to effectively manage asthma. Whenever you notice the symptoms, visit an allergist who will undertake a number of tests and recommend the best medications to go for.