Food Allergies

What causes food allergies?

Food allergies begin when your immune system overreacts to proteins. After mistakenly identifying a food protein as dangerous, the immune system develops antibodies to the protein. Every time you consume that protein, antibodies trigger the release of chemicals that cause your allergic reaction.

The most common food allergies in children include:

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

Food allergies often start in childhood but can appear at any age. Adults are more likely to develop allergies to shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, and fish.

What symptoms do food allergies cause?

Food allergies cause a range of symptoms, including:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Itchy mouth or ears
• Congestion
• Runny nose
• Wheezing
• Hives
• Skin rash

You may develop symptoms within a few minutes or up to two hours after consuming your allergen.

How do food intolerances differ from food allergies?

Food intolerances occur in your digestive tract when your body can’t break down certain foods. Intolerances often develop from an enzyme deficiency or because you’re sensitive to an additive or chemical. 

You may be able to eat small portions of the foods you can’t tolerate. By comparison, you must avoid foods if you have an allergy.

Do food allergies cause a life-threatening reaction?

Food allergies seriously threaten your health because they can cause anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction.

Symptoms develop rapidly during anaphylaxis, causing:

• Swelling of your lips, tongue, throat, and face
• Trouble breathing
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Hives

You need immediate treatment to prevent shock and possibly death. Use an epinephrine pen at the first sign of anaphylaxis and call 911.

How are food allergies treated?

You have limited choices when it comes to food allergy treatments:

Avoidance

If you don’t participate in oral immunotherapy, you only have one treatment choice: avoiding all foods and products containing your allergen.

Self-injecting epinephrine

Your provider prescribes an epinephrine injector pen to use in case of anaphylaxis.

Oral immunotherapy (OIT)

Oral immunotherapy significantly reduces your reaction to food allergies by desensitizing your immune system. OIT begins with rapid desensitization, a day-long session in which your provider gives you a dose of your allergen every 30 minutes. This continues until you have a mild reaction or end the day without any reactions.

After rapid desensitization, you have weekly appointments. Your provider gives you a slightly larger dose in the office. If you don’t have a reaction, you take daily doses at home until your next weekly appointment.

If you suspect you or your child has a food allergy, don’t wait to seek treatment. Call the office or book an appointment online right away.

We offer fully customizable treatment for food allergies, including Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) and Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) exclusively or in tandem with Xolair. Dr. Mayer has been treating food allergies for over 20 years and was one of the first providers to incorporate Xolair into successful food allergy treatments. Call us to book your appointment today.