Click on the link above for details on
membership benefits and how to join FAAN.
|
-
- 1. What happens in
the body during a food-allergic reaction?
- The immune system mistakenly believes that a harmless
substance, in this case a food item, is harmful. In its
attempt to protect the body, it creates specific IgE
antibodies to that food. The next time the individual
eats that food, the immune system releases massive
amounts of chemicals and histamines in order to protect
the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic
symptoms that can affect the respiratory system,
gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular
system.
-
- 2. What are the
common symptoms of a reaction?
- Symptoms range from a tingling sensation in the
mouth, swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty
breathing, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea,
drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, to death.
Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours
after the person has eaten the food to which he or she is
allergic.
-
- 3. What is the
best treatment for food allergy?
- Strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is the
only way to avoid a reaction. Reading ingredient labels
for all foods is the key to maintaining control over the
allergy. If a product doesn't have a label, allergic
individuals should not eat that food. If a label contains
unfamiliar terms, shoppers must call the manufacturer and
ask for a definition or avoid eating that food.
-
- 4. Is there a cure
for food allergies?
- Currently, there are no medications that cure food
allergies. Strict avoidance is the only way to prevent a
reaction. Most people outgrow their food allergies,
although peanuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish are often
considered life-long allergies. Some research is being
done in this area and it looks promising. Click here for
research information.
-
- 5. Should I stop
eating the food that I think I'm allergic
to?
- Randomly taking food out of your diet can leave you
with an unbalanced diet that can cause other health
problems. Additionally, you may become frustrated because
you reach a point where you believe that everything you
eat is causing a reaction. Seek the help of a doctor
before making significant changes in your diet.
-
- 6. What is the
best treatment for a food allergy
reaction?
- Epinephrine, also called adrenaline, is the
medication of choice for controlling a severe reaction.
It is available by prescription as an EpiPen® auto
injector.
-
- 7. What is the
difference between food allergy and food
intolerance?
- Many people think the terms food allergy and food
intolerance mean the same thing; however, they do not. A
food intolerance is an adverse food-induced reaction that
does not involve the immune system. Lactose intolerance
is one example of a food intolerance. A person with
lactose intolerance lacks an enzyme that is needed to
digest milk sugar. When the person eats milk products,
symptoms such as gas, bloating, and abdominal pain may
occur.
-
- A food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts
to a certain food. The most common form of an immune
system reaction occurs when the body creates
immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to the food. When these
IgE antibodies react with the food, histamine and other
chemicals (called mediators) cause hives, asthma, or
other symptoms of an allergic reaction.
-
- 8. What
information should I provide my doctor?
- Keep a food diary, for 1 to 2 weeks, of everything
you eat, what symptoms you experience, and how long after
eating they occur. This information, combined with a
physical examination and lab tests, will help the doctor
determine what, if any, food is causing your
symptoms.
-
- 9. What is the
difference between a prick skin test and a blood test or
RAST test?
- The prick skin test or a blood test, such as the RAST
(or radioallergosorbent test), are commonly used to begin
to determine if an allergy exists.
-
- A prick skin test is usually cheaper and can be done
in the doctor's office. The doctor places a drop of the
substance being tested on the patients' forearm or back
and pricks the skin with a needle, allowing a tiny amount
to enter the skin. If the patient is allergic to the
substance, a wheal (mosquito bite-like bump) will form at
the site within about 15 minutes.
-
- A RAST requires a blood sample. The sample is sent to
a medical laboratory where tests are done with specific
foods to determine whether the patient has IgE antibodies
to that food. The results are usually received within one
week.
-
- 10. Which test is
better?
- Although both tests are reliable, there are instances
where one is better than the other. Many doctors use a
RAST for young children or patients who have eczema or
other skin problems that would make if difficult to read
the results of a prick skin test. The results of either
test are combined with other information, such as a
history of symptoms and a food challenge, to determine
whether a food allergy exists.
-
-
Do You Have a Food
Allergy?
Thanks to a grant from the American College
of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, FAAN will
also be distributing a brochure designed to
raise awareness of food allergy symptoms and the
importance of getting a proper diagnosis. This
brochure will be distributed at health fairs
throughout the country.
To download a copy of this brochure,
click
here.
|
-
- How to contact The Food
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
Via Mail
- The Food Allergy &
Anaphylaxis Network
- 11781 Lee Jackson Hwy.,
Suite 160
- Fairfax, VA
22033
-
- Via Phone
- 800-929-4040
-
- Via Fax
- 703-691-2713
-
- Via E-mail
- faan@foodallergy.org
-
- Additional
information
- For a list of doctors in your area,
please call one of the following
organizations:
-
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma &
Immunology
- 800-822-ASMA
- www.aaaai.org
-
- American College of Allergy, Asthma &
Immunology
- 800-842-7777
- www.allergy.mcg.edu
-
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- 800-433-9016
- www.aap.org
-
- Last modified on 3/29/04.
- [Copyright
© 2004]
[Disclaimer]
|