How to Tell If You Have a Food Allergy

With spring coming, you’re likely looking forward to warm rays of the sun and flowers in bloom. If you deal with allergies, this might be a different experience, as pollen, grass, insect bites, mold, dust, and other environmental factors can make the season more unpleasant than it should be.

Even if you’re lucky enough not to struggle with seasonal allergies, you may deal with allergic reactions from the foods and drinks you consume. Our dedicated team of doctors at Michigan Avenue Primary Care in Chicago, Illinois, is here to offer management and treatment options for those with allergies to foods and other sources.

If you think you have a food allergy, let’s explore how they develop, common triggers, and symptoms that occur as a result.

Facts about food allergies

Allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly treats harmless substances — called allergens — as if they were threats. This can trigger reactions that resemble upper‑respiratory illnesses or cause skin irritation and other symptoms. 

With a food allergy, your body reacts to a specific protein in the food, even when only a tiny amount is consumed. Food allergies and food intolerances often get lumped together, but they’re not the same. 

A food allergy can trigger a dangerous reaction, no matter how much or how little you eat, while a food intolerance may still allow you to tolerate small amounts without serious harm.

Common allergy triggers

Of the 33 million people who deal with food allergies (including 1 in 13 children), these foods are the problem 90% of the time:

• Dairy: milk (often cow’s milk), cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, and ice cream
• Eggs: you can be allergic to the egg whites and yolks separately
• Nuts: peanuts, brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and walnuts
• Shellfish: scallops, crayfish, prawns, lobster, squid, and shrimp
• Wheat: caused by proteins in wheat, leading to symptoms similar to celiac disease
• Soy: soybean or products containing soy often affect children, but many outgrow it

• Sesame: a widespread issue common in people who are also allergic to nuts

While these are among the most common, many other fruits, seeds, spices, and vegetables can also lead to allergic reactions. 

Food allergy symptoms

Reactions to food allergens can cause a wide range of symptoms, including hives or other skin rashes, itching of the skin or mouth, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or tongue, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, wheezing or breathing problems, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

In severe cases, reactions lead to anaphylaxis, which can cause severe drops in blood pressure (anaphylactic shock), major breathing problems, and uncontrollable vomiting. The chances of dealing with these problems increase if you have other allergies, asthma, eczema, or a family history of these problems.

Food allergies can make enjoying meals difficult, but there are ways to avoid the triggers and, with the right treatments, overcome them. Schedule an appointment with our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care today to learn how we can assist you. Call our office or book your visit online.