One of the most popular questions we get at Shoreline Allergy & Asthma Associates is what exactly is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance. We hope this helps you better understand their key differences.
What Exactly Is a Food Allergy?
Food allergies occur when your immune system has an adverse reaction to certain food proteins. Allergic reactions to food can happen when the body’s defense system confuses a harmless food item as dangerous and activates an immune response. When we have an allergic reaction, the immune system kicks in and creates certain chemicals in our bodies, like histamine, which causes all kinds of reactions. Food allergies run the gamut from mild to very serious and in some cases they can be life-threatening. Symptoms of a food allergy include but aren’t limited to hives, breathing problems, cramps, diarrhea and swelling around the face and mouth.
What is Food Intolerance?
Food intolerance occurs when your digestive system can’t process or break down certain foods. It’s your body’s way of saying something isn’t quite right and it can’t deal with the food digestion process correctly. It’s not an immune reaction like with a food allergy and usually isn’t as intense either. If you have food intolerance, it can cause some uncomfortable symptoms like gas, bloating and stomach cramps. A common form of food intolerance is lactose intolerance, where the body has difficulty digesting the sugar found in milk and other dairy products.
What Should I Do If I Have a Food Allergic Reaction?
It’s really important to make sure that you take any food allergies seriously and seek medical attention as soon as possible if you think you’re having an adverse reaction. Remember that food allergies can vary in intensity and be anything from mild to extreme; some of them can even be life-threatening.
Here are some steps you can take if you think you are having an allergic reaction to food:
- Seek medical attention.
- If you think something you ate is causing a reaction, try to figure out what it was. If you can’t remember, take a look back at what you ate in the last few hours and see if any of those could be the culprit.
- Pay attention to what your doctor says. They might suggest medicines for your symptoms and ask you not to consume certain items so that you won’t experience that situation again. Stick to the treatment plan they give you.
- In some cases you may have to carry an epinephrine injector (known as an EpiPen) if you have been diagnosed with a severe food allergy.
Taking allergies seriously and getting medical help is key to avoiding potentially serious reactions. If you are not cure whether you are allergic to foods or other irritants then please give us a call at 860-536-2995.
