Food Allergies

Allergies to foods like peanuts, eggs, and shellfish can cause unpleasant and occasionally life-threatening reactions. If you might have a food allergy, talk to Nana Mireku, MD, FACAAI, FAAAAI, of Texas AllergyMD in McKinney, Texas. Dr. Mireku specializes in food allergies and uses innovative treatments like oral and sublingual immunotherapy to lessen the effect of allergies on your life. To find out how you could benefit from her expertise, call Texas AllergyMD today. You can also book your telehealth or in-person appointment online.

What are food allergies?

A food allergy is an adverse response to something you eat. It develops because of a problem with your immune system that makes it react to certain foods as though they’re a threat to your health.

Your immune system protects you from harm by identifying bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that could cause infection. Your white blood cells produce antibodies attacking invading organisms and killing them.

When you have an allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies harmless foods as dangerous, triggering a flood of histamine. Histamine is a substance that causes inflammation, your body’s natural response to infection or injury. Unfortunately, histamine also causes unpleasant and sometimes harmful symptoms when you have an allergy.

What symptoms do food allergies cause?

Food allergies can cause various symptoms affecting your skin, respiratory, and digestive systems. These include: 

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Swollen tongue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Itchiness
• Hives or a rash
• Trouble breathing
• Excessive sneezing

Some food allergies cause an extreme response that can be life-threatening. This response, anaphylaxis, can cause dizziness, fainting, confusion, a weak pulse, shock, and loss of consciousness.

What foods can trigger allergies?

Food allergies might develop in response to anything you eat, but more common triggers include:

• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Wheat
• Dairy
• Soy
• Shellfish
• Fish
• Eggs
• Strawberries

If you have a food allergy, avoiding these foods is essential. Dr. Mireku at Texas AllergyMD offers expert testing to determine exactly what foods cause your allergies so you can steer clear of them.

How are food allergies treated?

The most important thing with food allergies is to avoid whatever causes them. Check the labels before you eat anything to make sure it doesn’t contain the food you’re allergic to, because even small quantities of some foods can trigger anaphylaxis.

You might also need medication to lessen your allergy symptoms. Dr. Mireku prescribes epinephrine injectors to use if you develop anaphylaxis. You need to keep one with you at all times and make sure whoever you’re with knows how to find it and use it in case you’re unconscious.

A newer option is oral or sublingual immunotherapy. This treatment involves getting your body used to the foods that trigger an allergic reaction by exposing you to tiny amounts daily.

If you think you have a food allergy, visit Texas AllergyMD for prompt, expert diagnosis and treatment.