What Are Food Allergy Symptoms?
Food allergy symptoms often are confused with food poisoning or food intolerance. Food poisoning is caused by contaminants found in food that otherwise would not provoke symptoms, and food intolerance is the result of the body’s inability to digest food properly, but food allergy symptoms are instead triggered by an immune-system response to a particular food or ingredient. Allergic reactions vary in severity and most often are no more than a minor irritant, but symptoms might become debilitating or even life-threatening.
Food allergy symptoms often are confused with food poisoning or food intolerance. Food poisoning is caused by contaminants found in food that otherwise would not provoke symptoms, and food intolerance is the result of the body’s inability to digest food properly, but food allergy symptoms are instead triggered by an immune-system response to a particular food or ingredient. Allergic reactions vary in severity and most often are no more than a minor irritant, but symptoms might become debilitating or even life-threatening. Often, an allergic reaction is immediate, occurring within minutes of exposure, but some might take as long as an hour to be observed. Depending on the allergen, the patient might develop food allergy symptoms such as itching, hives, eczema, swelling or a rash. These reactions might be observed on the skin, especially on the face or neck, or in the mouth and throat. The patient might have difficulty breathing or swallowing.
