What You Need To Know About Peanut Allergy?

peanut allergyPeanut allergy is a type of food allergy. Peanuts are one of the world’s most allergenic foods.

More than 1.5 million people in the US are affected with peanut allergy.

A peanut allergy is an allergy that is caused by the body’s reaction to particular substances. This is a life threatening allergy reaction.

Cause of peanut allergy:

  • The most common cause of peanut allergy is direct contact with peanuts. This means while eating or touching peanuts can cause allergies.
  • The other cause of peanut allergy is, when you inhale dust containing peanuts.
  • The rarest case in which you can acquire peanut allergy is, during processing or handling of a food product which consists of peanuts.
  • Peanut allergy is caused by the overreaction of the immune system. Immune system considers peanuts as the harmful substances and leads to the production of immunoglobulin E antibodies. These antibodies produce histamines which causes allergic reactions to occur.

Common food sources which contain peanut proteins include:

  • Salad dressing
  • Cereals and granola
  • Almonds
  • Pecans and walnuts
  • Soy products
  • Ground nuts
  • Frozen desserts
  • Peanut butter
  • Baked food such as pastries
  • Artificial tree nuts
  • Asian foods such as Chinese foods
  • Sunflower seeds
  • chocolates
  • peanut oils
  • Beer nuts and peanut brittle
  • Sauce made with nuts

Symptoms of peanut allergy:

  • Peanut allergy symptoms are mild but in some cases they can become more severe. Allergic reaction appears immediately or a few hours after you ate.
  • The first symptoms that you face are runny nose, an itchy skin rash such as hives, or stinging in the tongue or lips.
  • The other symptoms of peanut allergy include:
  1. Vomiting
  2. Stomach pain
  3. Wheezing
  4. Coughing
  5. Nausea
  6. Diarrhea
  7. Sore throat
  8. Dizziness
  9. Atopic dermatitis
  10. Urticaria or hives
  11. Asthma
  12. Anaphylactic shock
  13. Swelling of the digestive tracts
  14. Difficulty in breathing or swallowing
  15. Sudden fatigue and rapid heartbeat
  16. Loss of consciousness, coma or death

Diagnosis of peanut allergy:

  • Doctors will conduct the physical examination to identify the main problem.
  • In some cases tests like skin test and blood test are also essential to identify the problem.
  • In skin test your skin is pricked and exposed to small amounts of proteins found in peanuts to see if you have a skin test response.
  • In blood test, your immune system response to peanuts is tested. It measures the amount of antibodies such as IgE in your blood.

Treatment for peanut allergy:

  • There are no special medications for peanut allergy. The best treatment is simply to avoid exposure to peanuts and peanut proteins directly or indirectly.
  • Avoid foods that made with peanut oil.
  • Avoid cakes and pastries with unknown ingredients, especially carrot cake, pumpkin cake and fruits and nut rolls.
  • Be careful with what you are eating and drinking. All food labels, cosmetics, creams and ointments should be read.
  • Medications, such as antihistamines help to reduce peanut allergy.
  • If you have severe reactions, you may need to take epinephrine with consultation of doctor.
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