What are the symptoms of a food allergy? Could it cause abdominal pain and flatulence?
Germany Most people can eat a wide range of food without any problems. But there is a small group of people allergic to particular foods or ingredients in foods. The allergic reaction can range from minor skin irritations to serious allergic shocks. Surprisingly enough it is mainly staple foods such as milk, eggs, fish, nuts or certain fruits which most frequently trigger allergic reactions. An allergy means that a person’s immune system shows an excessive defence reaction to substances which in themselves are harmless – it has “forgotten” how to distinguish between harmful and harmless substances. The symptoms of an allergic reaction vary considerably. The most frequent complaints occur shortly after eating, either in the form of prickling or swelling in the mouth or throat, or as a skin rash. Allergic reactions in the gastro-intestinal tract, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, occur in relatively few cases. More seldom still are shock reactions (anaphylactic shock).
