Allergy

An allergy is the response of the body’s immune system to normally harmless substances, such as pollens, foods, and house dust mite. Whilst in most people these substances (allergens) pose no problem, in allergic individuals their immune system identifies them as a ‘threat’ and produces an inappropriate response. This can be relatively minor, such as localised itching, but in more severe cases it cause anaphylaxis, a condition which can lead to upper respiratory obstruction and collapse and can be fatal.

The most common causes of allergic reactions are:

• Pollen from trees and grasses
•  house dust mites
• Moulds
• Foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and eggs
• Pets such as cats and dogs, and other furry or hairy animals such as horses, rabbits and guinea pigs
• Insects such as wasps and bees
• Chemicals
• Medicines (these may cause reactions by binding to proteins in the blood, which then trigger the reaction).

• Sneezing
• Wheezing / coughing / shortness of breath
• Sinus pain / runny nose
• Nettle rash / hives
• Swelling
• Itchy eyes, ears, lips throat and mouth
• Sickness, vomiting & diarrhea

The first step in managing an allergy is identifying the cause(s) of the problem. Diagnosing allergy can be difficult since the symptoms may be similar to other conditions. You may be referred by your GP to a specialist allergy service and our helpline can tell you where your nearest specialist clinic is and give you details to take to your GP.
If you think you may be allergic to something and do not know what it is, you should start to keep a record of your symptoms.

In particular, the following information may help your doctor make a diagnosis:
• Do your symptoms occur at any particular time of the day?
• Do you only get symptoms at certain times of the year?
• Do you suffer more at nighttime or during the day?
• Do your symptoms occur when you are in the house as well as outside?
• Does exposure to animals bring on your symptoms?
• Do you think that any food or drink brings on your symptoms?
• Do the symptoms occur every time you come into contact with the allergen?
• Do your symptoms improve when you are on holiday?

You can find specific information on a range of allergies on our website but here are 3 key things to remember when it comes to managing your allergy:

1. Documenting where and when a reaction occurs
2. Reducing the risk of an allergic reaction by avoiding the allergen, wherever possible
3. Medical treatments to reduce symptoms including medications and immunotherapy.

Some people experience adverse reactions caused by food. Finding out which foods are causing your symptoms can be straightforward for some people and incredibly tricky for others – dependent on what their symptoms are, how quickly the symptoms appear after eating the food and which food (or foods) is causing a problem.

Food intolerances can take some time to diagnose. Although not life threatening, food intolerance can and often does, make the sufferer feel extremely unwell and can have a major impact on working and social life. Ongoing symptoms can also affect the person psychologically as they feel they will never get better. Food intolerance reactions do not involve IgE antibodies or the immune system, like food allergy.

Most people tolerate the amounts found in a normal diet. However, some people experience symptoms to even normal levels of vasoactive amines, which may be due to a reduced ability to break them down in their digestive systems. Symptoms of histamine intolerance include:

• Headaches
• Rashes, flushing
• Runny or blocked nose
• Diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting

Symptoms may occur 30 minutes or longer after eating and the level of intolerance does vary from person to person.

This is a common disorder arising from an inability to digest lactose (milk sugar) because of low levels of the enzyme lactase. Lactose is the main sugar in milk and milk products from mammals (e.g. humans, cows, goats). Lactose intolerance is often confused with milk allergy, but it is NOT an allergy.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance are:

• Diarrhoea
• Bloating
• Flatulence (wind)
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Infantile colic

And less commonly, it can cause constipation and nausea.

Many people will experience IBS-type symptoms such as bloating, wind, gurgling and abdominal pain after eating wheat and this can be due to the fermentable carbohydrate known as ‘fructans’ which are found in wheat, barley and rye. The immune system is not involved and instead the symptoms are caused by bacteria in the large intestine fermenting the poorly absorbed fructans. Patients who suffer with IBS or gut fermentation should be referred to a specialist dietitian who can guide them through the ‘Low FODMAP’ Diet which removes all
fermentable foods from the diet including the fructans.

Patients commonly report a mixture of symptoms in response to eating wheat which include:

• Abdominal pain
• Altered bowel habit
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Reflux

However gluten intolerance is also associated with symptoms outside the gut such as:

• Foggy mind
• Joint pains
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• General lack of well being

Food allergies occur when your immune system becomes confused – instead of ignoring harmless food proteins, it triggers a reaction, which leads to the release of a chemical called histamine.

It is histamine which causes the classic allergy symptoms of hives or swelling.  More severe reactions are called anaphylaxis, and this may be life threatening.

Food allergies are much more common amongst children who come from families where other members suffer from allergy. Babies who suffer from eczema are at a higher risk of having food allergies. The more severe the eczema and the earlier in life that it began, the more likely there is to be a food allergy.

Mild to moderate symptoms typically affect the skin, the respiratory system and the gut.

• • A flushed face, hives, a red and itchy rash around the mouth, tongue or eyes. This can spread across the entire body
  • Mild swelling, particularly of the lips, eyes and face
  • A runny or blocked nose, sneezing and watering eyes
  • Nausea and vomiting, tummy cramps and diarrhoea
  • A scratchy or itchy mouth and throat.

Managing a food allergy in children or babies can be stressful not only for the child but also for the parents. There are 3 key things to be on top of when it comes to managing a food allergy:

• • Identify and avoid the cause (if possible)
  • Recognize the symptoms of an allergic reaction
  • Know what to do if it happens again.

Eczema (also called atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis) is a very common noncontagious dry skin condition affecting approx. 1in   10 babies and children in India. The common symptoms of eczema are dryness, itch, and redness to the skin. Eczema often appears in the first few months of life, and for most children their eczema often improves as they get older, however for some children with more severe eczema there is a possibility that this will persist into adult life. Eczema can be mild, moderate, or severe and treatment of the eczema will depend on the severity.