Nut allergy is one of the most frequent food allergies among children and adults. What are its symptoms and is it possible to treat it?
The statistics show that 1% of the entire population have this allergy. The source of the allergy may be ingredients of a nut. Peanut, walnut, hazelnut and Brazil nut may cause the allergy. Why is this the case? What symptoms accompany one of the most frequent food allergies?
What is the cause of the allergy?
Stores offer a wide range of nut-rich products. The example may be sweets or nut-based oils. When you buy a specific product, you may not realize that it contains nuts. For this reason symptoms which accompany allergy may disturb and force you to seek medical assistance. As a general rule the solution is to limit or exclude this kind of product from your diet.
What is the allergic reaction?
In response to the allergen (most often proteins included in nuts), the immunological system generates anti-bodies IgE. They directly result in unpleasant and bothersome allergic reactions.
Which nuts cause an allergy most often?
The leader in this respect is peanut, no matter of its form (entire nuts or peanut butter). The peanut butter is an ingredient of many cosmetics, so if you can see an allergic reaction, it may be a result of using wrong preparations. As for other kinds of nuts, fewer allergies apply to their consumption. For instance, cashew nuts, pistachio nuts, almonds and chestnuts relatively seldom cause any allergy (healthful properties of these and other nuts can be found on the website: PromReport.com )
Symptoms of allergy
As a rule the nut allergy manifests itself in red rash accompanied by severe itching, nettle rash, sometimes swollen lips. Other typical symptoms are watering eyes, runny nose and sense of stinging around oral cavity. The allergy sufferer may experience vomits, stomach ache, diarrhea and nausea. In extreme cases, you may witness disturbance of consciousness or anaphylactic shock which pose a serious threat to your life.
How to diagnose the nut allergy?
The first step in the process of diagnosing allergy is an appointment with a doctor. Only a specialist may make a correct diagnosis. Not only on the basis of the detailed medical history but also allergy tests, particularly focusing on skin, which are concerned with applying nut allergic ingredients on the skin. Blood tests used to identify the concentration of anti-bodies IgE also prove to be highly effective.