You may all know that shellfish is a type of seafood. Commonly adults are allergic to seafood.
Shellfish allergy is most common food allergy and the people who are allergic to shellfish can also react to the number of different types of shellfish, such as prawns, crabs, scallops, mussels, shrimps, lobsters, crayfish, and clams.
People who are allergic to one type of shellfish can often allergic to other types. Some people can also react to the vapors from cooking shellfish.
Recent studies have shown that protein tropomyosin in the shellfish may be culprit in causing allergic reactions to shellfish.
Symptoms of shellfish allergy:
The symptoms of shellfish allergy are almost same as food allergy. These allergic reactions include:
- Swelling of the face, or throat
- Hives
- Wheezing
- Nasal congestion
- Itching
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Upset stomach
- Fever
- Muscle paralysis
- Tingling of the lips
- Loss of balance
- Heartburn
- Gas
- Vomiting or Diarrhea
- Light headedness
- Fainting
- Sudden fall of blood pressure
- Anaphylaxis
- Difficulty thinking
- An intense sense of fear
- Tightness in the chest
Avoid the foods that contain any of the following ingredients:
- Abalone
- Clams including cherrystone
- Coral
- Crab
- Crawfish, crayfish, ecrevisse
- Cockle
- Lobster, langouste, langousine, scampo
- Mussels
- Oyster
- Sea urchin
- Scallops
- Shrimp
Spoiled fish can contain histamines in their tissues. Due to this chemical allergic reactions will occur.
Be careful with fried foods. Some restaurants use the same oil to fry shrimp, chicken, French fries. Keep in mind that imitation shellfish may also contain shellfish.
Allergic reactions to shellfish will clear itself within 2 hours after exposure, although a delay of 24 hours is possible.
Treatment for shellfish allergy:
- Find out what foods to avoid if you suffer from shellfish allergy.
- Individuals, who have had an allergic reaction to one species of fish, or positive skin tests to fish, avoid all fish.
- If you are suffering from shellfish allergy symptoms, strictly avoiding shellfish and food containing shellfish is the only way to prevent the symptoms.
- Avoid eating all shellfish which includes clams, crayfish, shrimp, lobster and snails.
- Read labels correctly, particularly on processed Asian-style foods.
- Before attempting to eat shellfish of an unrelated group, get tested it.
- Limit exposure to cooking vapors. It can cause a reaction in sensitive individuals.
- Add a supplement of vitamin C in your diet. These supplements can help your body to deal with allergens, supports the immune system, and reduces inflammation.
- To improve the digestion capacity use multi-enzyme complex. Use this medication according to the label and take with the meal.
- Acidophilus helps for proper digestion by maintaining healthy intestinal flora.
- Avoid handling shellfish. Because it can also cause shellfish allergy reactions.
- Use medications to get relief from shellfish allergy same as food allergy.