Food Allergy Symptoms and treatment

Vary depending on the different eating habits in societies

Jeddah: Dr. Yahya Abdul Hafeez Khoja
Divided into diseases related to food into two major food allergy and food intolerance. Given the importance of the subject of food allergies, especially in children, we will concentrate on this aspect only in this article.
* Offered «health» the Dr. Muwaffaq Mohammed Said Tayeb, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis-King Abdul Aziz University, knew in the beginning «food allergy (Food Allergy) as a gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps immediately after eating a meal, in addition to itching and sneezing and stuffy nose and redness in the skin wartkaria and vascular alodmh» (Angioedema) is a swelling in the mouth, lips and throat, where they produce these symptoms from the expansion of the blood vessels as a result of excretion «Substance histamine and increase in fluid from the blood to the tissues.

He said Dr. Mowaffaq OK that modern medical studies found that the prevalence of food allergy in adults is low (0.9%) Compared to food intolerances (Food Intolerance) (which relates to a problem with the food itself) which is very prevalent. It is contrary to what many people believe, inspired both gastrointestinal symptoms to food allergies, while most are caused by food intolerance.

Also found in recent studies that food allergy is more prevalent in children during the first year of life precisely because of the use of cow's milk, formula milk, and then begin a food allergy to decrease as the age of the child.

With the exception of certain foods which do not decrease sensitivity with age such as groundnut (Peanut), nuts, fish and shellfish. Food allergies can also exist with other allergic skin allergies in children (eczema) and asthma.

Food allergy varies from one society to another depending on the difference in eating habits between those communities as severe allergies to peanuts in the United States and Britain, while the common allergy in Japan are for fish.

* Shock sensitivity

* Dr. Mowaffaq OK that the number of deaths from food allergy, usually produces a hypersensitivity (anaphylactic shock) such as hypersensitivity to peanuts and some nuts, fish, eggs, milk, shellfish and some fruits and some vegetables. Thus, emergence of hypersensitivity of any type of food is the cause and direct the prevention of eating this food for life, preventing food intake.

As for lltmard, avoid eating certain food causes a restriction of the common life of the patient, so the patient must not be directed to avoid any kind of food only when there is a definite allergy invariance from, so as not to avoid the patient has no food allergies.

* Food allergy

* Dr. Mowaffaq OK that natural human's digestive system works to absorb useful nutrients and convert it into energy, and are not allowed to allergy-irritating substances into the blood for the presence of several defensive devices perform this function.

These defensive devices are like acid and enzymes of the stomach and the lining of the gut and some secretions to spot antibodies in intestinal function they are associated with irritating substances and prevent their entry into the blood. They are defensive and immature when newborns to age three months, so if I havent the child allergy irritants during this period, they enter the bloodstream and cause its immune system and allergies has which makes it vulnerable to the emergence of allergic diseases in the future.

When you repeat the child the same irritating substances in the future, that lead to the symptoms of a food allergy.

Symptoms appear shortly after eating an immediate symptoms and symptoms of «alodmh» vascular (Angioedema) such as fluid under the skin, which leads to swelling of the lips, throat, eyelids, esophagus or affect the nausea, vomiting and colic pain in the intestines and diarrhea, and symptoms may appear in other organs such as the lung, skin and nose.

Every interaction is an interaction occurs previous within minutes after eating, but that did not preclude the late reactions after a day or two of eating food.

* Food allergies

* Dr. Tayeb said he found through recent medical studies that the number of foods that cause food allergies are few and include common foods such as milk, eggs and wheat products, and found that most patients «» they grope for a food allergy to one or two types of food.

And food allergy-causing foods are:

* Cow's milk (milk industry) and is the most important cause of allergies in babies under the age of one year, and the next few years, which decreases with increasing age, where recent studies have shown that the sensitivity of protein found in milk that is not affected by boiling, thus this type of milk is causing the sensitivity of whether boiling or boiled.

* Egg whites: the white part of the egg containing protein that causes allergies and who is not affected by boiling (such as protein found in cow's milk), which means it causes allergy, whether cooked or uncooked.

* Fish and seafood: three sections:

-Section 1: oysters, a common food allergens (food allergy).

-Section II: marine crustaceans (crabs, skimmer, crayfish, sea flea, shrimp) that cause skin sensitization walodmh vascular a severe swelling of the lips and eyelids.

-Section 3: sea slugs, which usually come into coincidence (such as mussels, sea shells, clams), where this species was found to cause a food allergy» and «ball and detestation for food, because some of these shellfish are contaminated with the bacterium releases toxins and lead to digestive disorders when off.

* Wheat products: that is a major food when many people, fortunately, the article where allergens crashing as a result of secretions and digestive enzymes which reduce severity and gravity (unlike cow's milk, egg whites, not influenced by something).

* Nuts: (cashew, almond, hazelnut, bajali walkaka) in which it was found that these nuts cause "food allergy", may cause anaphylaxis.

* Soy: a grain types frequently used in the food industry, where through modern medical studies they may cause severe hypersensitivity.

* Peanuts: containing substances irritate the allergies too (hypersensitivity), where he found through studies that the materials are not affected by roasting and heating, which means it may cause severe reactions, whether roasted or heated or not heated or toasted.

These materials exist in peanut oil» used in some foods and some decorative SOAP powders used for facial content. But the refined peanut oil and drained» is considered safe and does not cause the severe reactions, unlike crude oil for the peanut.

Symptoms of food allergy symptoms appear within minutes after taking a meal, and appear on several organs in the body (such as the digestive system, skin, respiratory and circulatory system).

* Gastrointestinal symptoms – alodmh vascular, sensitive mouth appearing to itching and swelling of the lips and throat, which could sometimes be preceded by «allergy» commonly occurring as a result of «common» sensitivity between pollen and different types of fruits and vegetables.

– Nausea and abdominal cramps and spasms in the intestines and may even sometimes to vomit and diarrhea after eating (a few minutes).

– Infant colic is an example of food allergy in infants less than three months as a result give them cow's milk (formula) that leads to breaking capillaries on the surface of the intestinal procedure causing a lack of absorption of food and lack of growth in children.

* Skin symptoms-severe artkaria appears after minutes of eating food in the form of skin rash, making it easy for patients to know that rash, they avoid him and not resort to medical advice. And may occur rarely, chronic alartkaria and artkaria appear over long periods, but rarely the result.

B – skin allergies in children: where it was noted that the severity of this allergy increase with increasing exposure to a greater number of irritants and repeatedly, making it difficult to diagnose the cause of the allergy. Foods that cause this type of allergy is like eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, wheat and its products.

* Respiratory symptoms — runny nose, occurs directly after eating several minutes.

– Vascular alodmh, a padded wall bulges to throat that occurs in a large number of cases, the patient feels that there is a weight and difficulty speaking and a dry cough, and up to stage air duct and a bottleneck in children, God forbid.

– Asthma, accompanied by a runny nose and skin allergies in children.

* Symptoms of circulatory system: a hypersensitivity (anaphylactic shock) that show a drop in blood pressure and a decline in circulation and heart disorder, respiratory depression, fainting.

* Diagnosis of food allergy

* Food allergy diagnosis can be one of the following methods:

First: history and clinical information taken from the patient by spotting where:

* Is the cornerstone in the diagnosis of food allergy.

* Diagnosis of food allergy diagnosis easier «food intolerances, food allergies can occur after several minutes of eating food which facilitates the diagnosis when the patient's question, but health workers know that information taken from patients may be inaccurate and incorrect at times.

* Food allergy occurs most often as a result of one or two types of food, but in rare cases in children may occur as a result of more foods, where it is caused by a hidden source in the food doctor must find.

II: laboratory for blood for antibodies to allergens, checking the skin prick test.

* Laboratory for the presence of antibodies in the blood, is the main food allergy testing.

* Laboratory of the blood for the presence of allergy can be used for any type of food, but when the difficulty of diagnosis can be used to examine the skin prick test.

* The tingling skin test screening more accurate than testing blood for antibodies.

III: notebook (Food Diary), is a notebook given to the patient to record the foods at home and any side effects after eating this food, so that Notepad on the doctor later making it easy to infer the quality of the food related allergies.

* Using the Notepad in patients who come to allergic non-continuous (intermittent), the diagnosis of the quality of the food that cause allergy be easy.

* Either patients suffering from chronic food sensitivity cannot use this notebook with them, because the quality of the food timely diagnosis is difficult.

* The patient is alert to record all food intake even chewing gum you chew him or the toothpaste to clean his teeth.

* Patient's time also records any kind of food and the side effects associated with and.

* Is hiring dietitians to be able to advise the patient during recording, so that a balanced food.

IV: how to exclude a suspect food (Elimination Diets): after studying the food diary shows that there is a certain type of food is suspected in relation to food allergies, and then exclude that from the patient and control meals improved his condition.

* When you exclude that the suspect food and improve the condition of the patient, that means that it was unlikely due to food allergies.

* Timely patient is recommended to avoid that type of food.

* But if the patient doesn't improve after eating suspect must then return it after two weeks of a maximum exclusion.

* Not to stop a particular type of food must be under medical supervision and under the guidance of a nutritionist, especially foods of interest health task as milk for children.

V. examine the challenge of food (Food Challenge)

* The patient is exposed to a particular type of food, note the side effects after exposure to it directly.

* This test depends on the previous examination «suspect» food dimensions, when the patient's condition improved after avoiding that food can use this as a kind of emphasis on its relationship with food allergies.

* But you must handle these tests very carefully so that it cannot work only by an integrated medical device specialist in this area and has all the medical potential of hypersensitivity (anaphylactic shock).

* Treatment

* Confirm Dr. Mowaffaq OK that all patients with food allergies should be treated under the supervision of a medical specialist in the field of allergies as a doctor specializing in allergies and nutritionist and dietician who specializes in allergies, then you should avoid food Exciter, noting the following:

* To avoid a particular type of food affects the patient's life and restrict movement, so the patient must avoid any food unless there was medical evidence is clear on the sensitivity of the patient from the food, it was noted that many patients are advised to avoid certain food by guessing, and that's not true.

* Even if you make sure that a specific food allergy agitates it should not increase the number of foods that the patient avoids food one or two and not advised him to avoid a large number of foods that lead to malnutrition.

* Also avoid a particular type of food must be made in consultation between doctor and patient as a way of life and their food than his convictions when choosing alternative food and chances of successful treatment.

* Although the cornerstone of treatment is avoidance of the causative food allergens, this avoidance is difficult, not easy.

In case of hypersensitivity due to a certain type of food recommended Dr. Tayeb:

– You must avoid this type of food.

-The patient must be given an injection of epinephrine (Adrenaline Auto-injector) automatic with his training on the use of time.

– Patient should review the clinic regularly.

The patient must be given as a wrist Bracelet (Bracelets) shows the patient fainting occurs as a result of hypersensitivity than paramedics around him from the rapid identification and giving him an adrenaline needle.

-You can also benefit from support groups, intended for patients suffering from the same problem of "hypersensitivity", where they can be accommodated in one place making it easy to transfer experiences and ideas, including vaccination.

In patients who have side effects but is not serious, it is recommended that you return the allergy-causing food to them after two years of hiatus.

* Health education

* One of the most important factors in therapy is outreach health intensive:

– Intensive health education in food allergy is necessary to educate the patient on how to avoid the Exciter (food type that is specified as the cause of allergy), and what are the alternatives and how to use it.

-The food must provide alternative nutritional balance for the patient because of malnutrition would be the ultimate.

-The importance of accurate and continuous follow-up care with the dietitian.

– This may seem easy but it really is difficult and requires considerable effort from the medical team to educate the patient. And because of the difficulty is that we must explain to the patient of all food sources containing this food. As an example imagine if we are to educate the patient to avoid milk, how many foods that contain milk. It's too many.

– You should also educate the patient on how to read the contents of any food purchased from the market (food business), by monitoring the contents and see alternative names so that the patient can read it on the outer side of your food. (Meaning of alternative names (Food Alternatives) are alternative names for the same type of food causes allergies, and the patient must be avoided. example of alternative names for the egg, mayonnaise, "Albumin ovalbumin, ovomucoid ovomucin,», and the bright-looking for some baked refers to the probability of containing the eggs.

-It is difficult to apply it on foods that do not have an illustrative explanation from abroad shows its contents, as is the case in restaurants, fast food, restaurants, sweets», «food allergy patients» advise their meals inside the House for ease of decoding or buy canned if they know how to use alternative names manner, taking into account the patient's belief that the alternatives without affecting the physical and psychological terms.

Baby food either avoid food in children with a food allergy, you should:

-That is not under the direct guidance of a doctor who specializes in allergies and a dietitian.

Are they full of children's sensitivity to it.

-And after extensive discussion and dialogue with and participation in the decision after giving it all the alternatives to it.

-All because we are afraid of malnutrition in children, the child-God forbid-if the avoidance of food is ill-advised.

Either avoid milk when newborns there are important points to be alert:

A – the most important food for babies is the mother's milk, because of its excellent nutritional value, as it establishes the relationship between the child and his mother emotional.

B – but most mothers rely on bovine milk (industrial) Cows Milk powder sold in markets, and so assimilate them in warm water and giving it to the child within the teats, knowing that most of these types of milk are the types of animal.

C – bovine milk is one of the most important causes of food allergies "».

D – when you are sure the sensitivity to cow's milk must be alert on the mother to avoid the kind of milk, giving a balanced medical alternatives to child malnutrition, such as soy milk or some types of industrial milk which does not lead to allergic children, (but you should be aware that soy milk does not live up to the nutritional value of milk and cow's milk, it must first be ascertained that the child has no allergy to soy milk before you start).

-In all cases, the milk must be continued and no piece in only a few cases only is given a diet and calcium is supported rather than mother's milk.

* Side effects

* To avoid allergy-causing food is useful for patient allergies, but has side effects on the patient such as:

-Malnutrition and deprivation.

– Material costs increased as a result of Exchange alternative foods are expensive.

-Concern and tension to the patient and his family.

– Protection of overhead on the psychology of the patient, especially in children.

-Isolation from society as a result of avoiding certain kinds of food to the patient's unwillingness to keep around him on his problem.

-Anger, depression and frustration when the occurrence of symptoms of "food allergy, though avoid allergenic foods, where it produces that food allergies provoke hidden in food, not known for his patient.

* The role of secondary medicine

* Finally, according to Dr. good conciliator, the role of drugs in the treatment of food allergy is a minor role and is often used in relieving symptoms caused by allergies such as antiretroviral medicines for histamine, which alleviates allergy symptoms such as rash, itching, or utilization of the automated epinephrine injector training the patient on how to use when hypersensitivity occurs, these medications do not sing at all about avoiding disease-causing foods.

* Important questions to diagnose food allergy q 1: what are the symptoms to the patient?

Q2: what is the food that it is suspected that the patient has to do with the symptoms?

Q3: how much food the suspect patient eaters?

Q4: what is the time period between the patient's food intake and onset of symptoms?

Q5: does the patient showed similar symptoms in the past as a result of eating the same food?

Q6: do you think the patient that there are any other factors have to do with "food allergy" as sport?

Q7: is there a relationship between the patient's symptoms and dealt with alcohol or certain drugs such as Beta antagonists which are used in the treatment of high blood pressure?

Q8: when the patient's symptoms appeared on food allergy last?