Does your tongue swell up when you eat certain foods but you can't pinpoint the exact one that is causing it to happen? You are likely suffering from a food allergy, but a specialist can treat it after giving you a test to find out which food product you are allergic to. In this article, learn some helpful information about food allergies so you will know how the treatment process is likely to be.
What Causes Someone to Get a Food Allergy?
A food allergy can occur when your immune system has a bad reaction to certain foods. You can have a food allergy that is triggered by Immunoglobulin E (igE) antibodies or one that is triggered by another part of your immune system. Some of the symptoms that are associated with a food allergy besides a swollen tongue include diarrhea, abdominal pain, breathing problems, hives, and a swollen throat. If you don't get treated for your food allergy, it is possible that you can experience a severe symptom that is called anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
How Can a Specialist Target a Food That Causes an Allergic Reaction?
The first thing that a specialist will do is ask you about your medical history and any allergies that other family members have. You will also undergo a skin or blood test in order to determine if your allergy is cause from Immunoglobulin E antibodies that are reacting to a specific type of food. Targeting the root of your allergy can also be done by feeding you some of the common foods that can trigger a reaction, such as eggs, nuts, milk and fish. Diagnosing the problem via the food test method will be closely monitored in case one of the food items triggers a bad reaction that requires immediate treatment.
What is Done to Treat a Food Allergy?
Treating your food allergy will depend on the severity of the symptoms. If your allergy flare-ups are only mild, a specialist might simply ask you to refrain from consuming certain foods. You might also be prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector that will allow you to treat yourself if a severe flare-up occurs that requires fast treatment, such as anaphylaxis. Immunotherapy can be performed to make your body immune to the foods that you are allergic to by a specialist gradually injecting them into your body until your flare-ups go away. Contact an allergy specialist like Alidina Laila MD for more information if you have any of these symptoms so he or she can diagnose and treat the condition.
Share22 February 2016
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