Knowing the symptom of food allergy is quite necessary since 8% of children and 2% of adults in the United States are estimated to be affected by some form of allergy to food.
Six Steps To Recognizing A Food Allergy Symptom
By Allen Matthews
Before we take the six steps in recognizing a food allergy symptom, I should first point out that what you may believe to be a food allergy, may in fact simply be an intolerance to a food item.
It is often easy to confuse an intolerance to food with an allergy, so many people wrongly diagnose themselves with a food allergy, when their reaction is quite mild to a particular food stuff.
A perfect example of an intolerance to food is maybe having an upset stomach (diarrhea, gas, feeling sick) after digesting a meal or drink (such as milk).
Typically, intolerance results in mild reactions, and require little other than a stomach settling medicine to resolve. However a food allergy can cause a much more severe response within the body.
However, if your body has had a stronger reaction, usually within an hour or so of eating a food item, you maybe seeing the symptoms of a food allergy. So here are six major reactions to look for and identify if you are worried that you, or a family member, may have a food allergy:
- Reaction 1 - Rashes or swelling form on the skin, especially around the mouth area.
- Reaction 2 - Tightening of the throat, thus causing wheezing and shortness of breath
- Reaction 3 - Sever vomiting or diarrhea
- Reaction 4 - Very runny nose
- Reaction 5 - Dizziness
- Reaction 6 - In very rare cases, anaphylactic shock. This is where the entire body goes into shock (similar to an epileptic fit).
Remember, if your reaction to a food item hasn’t resulted in any of the above reactions, you may simply have had an intolerance to food. But if you do suspect that you have a food allergy, you should always contact your doctor or GP and they will help diagnose whether or not you do.
