Food Allergies: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Diagnostic Blood Tests

Food allergies are becoming more common in today's society and affect millions of people around the world. It is estimated that 8% of children under the age of 5 years and 4% of adults suffer from food allergies. Many people have a minor reaction, whereas others may have severe symptoms that require hospitalisation. 

It is critical to highlight that food allergies can be fatal if not properly diagnosed, managed and treated. If you feel you have a food allergy, get medical assistance and get diagnostic food allergy blood tests done to determine the root cause of your symptoms.

What Is Food Allergy?

Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to specific foods. This reaction occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly recognises a certain food as harmful and creates antibodies to fight it. Mast cells generate histamine in response to the antibodies, resulting in an allergic reaction.

Symptoms of Food Allergy

Food allergies can cause a wide range of symptoms. Most of the time, if you get a food allergic reaction, you will feel uncomfortable, but the symptoms may become severe as well. 

The most common signs and symptoms of food allergy include the following:

• Skin reactions, such as itchiness, hives or swelling
• Digestive problems, such as diarrhoea, stomach pain, cramps or vomiting
• Nasal congestion, such as a runny nose or sneezing
• Respiratory issues such as wheezing, coughing or difficulty breathing 
• Tingling sensation in the mouth

Sometimes, people develop severe symptoms called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition and requires immediate medical intervention. If untreated, it may lead to coma or even death. 

The signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction include the following:  

• Constriction of the airways, resulting in difficulty breathing
• Itchy, red rash on the skin
• Swelling of the face, tongue and throat
• Drop in blood pressure
• Anxiety, confusion and a racing pulse

What Causes Food Allergies? 

As the name suggests, food allergies are caused due to certain foods. In a food allergy, your body mistakenly identifies certain foods or substances in your food as potentially harmful (allergen). Consuming allergens for the first time triggers your immune system, and your body generates immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. These antibodies are present in your bloodstream and are responsible for fighting against the allergen. 

When you eat food containing allergens, it again triggers your immune system. This time, the already present IgE antibodies stimulate the mast cells to release histamine and other immune modulators (chemical substances). These chemical substances lead to allergy symptoms. 

Because food allergies can be lethal, it is critical to identify the allergy-causing agent specific to your body. Usually, the given nine foods are responsible for causing food allergies in most individuals:

• Eggs 
• Fish 
• Sesame 
• Cow’s milk 
• Peanuts
• Shellfish
• Soy
• Tree nuts
• Wheat

Many of you may be allergic to some other substance not listed above. Thus, diagnosing the root cause of your food allergy is very important.

How Are Food Allergies Diagnosed?

If you suspect that you or your loved ones have any type of food allergy, it is critical to consult a physician to get it diagnosed. A physician can help you identify the substance(s) causing food allergy in your case as well as help you manage the symptoms. Your physician can help you identify the allergen based on your medical history and perform some blood tests to confirm the root cause of your allergic food reactions. 

Diagnosis Based on Medical History

During a medical history diagnosis session, the physician will ask some questions regarding your past allergic reactions and food consumed. These questions may include the following:

• What were the symptoms you experienced during the allergic reaction?
• What particular food do you suspect caused this reaction? 
• Have you eaten the food before? And did you experience the same reaction when you had the food?
• What was the amount of food you ate?
• Was there anything else that you had with the food?
• Do you have any idea about the ingredients that were present in your food?
• Do you know how the food was prepared?
• Did your food contain any of the following allergens?
  • Peanuts
  • Shellfish
  • Soy
  • Tree nuts
  • Wheat
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Sesame
  • Cow’s milk

After how long did the allergic reaction occur?

Depending upon your answers, the physician will prescribe a blood test.

Diagnosis Based on Blood Tests

After a diagnosis of your medical history, the doctor will have a rough idea about the root cause of your allergic reaction. However, the physician will prescribe food allergy blood tests to confirm the specific food substance(s) causing allergies. 

Immunoglobulin E Test (IgE Test)

The IgE test is one of the most common tests used to determine food allergies. This test measures the amount of IgE antibodies in your blood, which your body makes in response to allergens. If the test shows high levels of IgE antibodies to a specific food allergen, the person is allergic to that food. 

Today, sophisticated equipment like the ImmunoCAP™ machine is available to detect the IgE antibody in your bloodstream generated in response to certain food substances. Such equipment can carry out various IgE tests from a small serum or blood sample, which means less pain to you.

Based upon the results from the above-mentioned food allergy blood tests, your physician can accurately predict the root cause of your food allergic reactions. 

Food allergies can be lethal. Thus, it is critical to consult a physician and get the condition and root cause of the allergy diagnosed. Proper knowledge of your allergy-causing food substance (allergen) can prevent allergies and other adverse effects.  

If you are looking for a way to get your food allergy diagnosed, Metropolis Labs has a solution for you. With the leading ImmunoCAP™ machine technology, we can help you get your food allergies diagnosed accurately.