Food Allergy

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy happens when your immune system mistakenly identifies a food as harmful and reacts to it. Even a small amount of a trigger food can cause symptoms in some people. Common food allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

Food allergies can affect children and adults and may develop even after you have eaten a food safely in the past. Our team can help determine whether your symptoms are caused by a food allergy and create a personalized treatment plan. At Allergy & Asthma Physicians of Commerce Township, we diagnose and manage food allergies at our Commerce Township and Mount Clemens offices.

How food allergies happen

Your immune system normally protects you from harmful substances. With a food allergy, it reacts to specific food proteins. In many food allergies, the body produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). When you eat or come into contact with the trigger food, your immune system can release chemicals such as histamine, leading to an allergic reaction.

Symptoms: Mild to severe

Food allergy symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Symptoms may include:

• Itchy mouth, lips, or throat
• Hives, redness, or swelling
• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Coughing, wheezing, or trouble breathing
• Dizziness or feeling faint

A severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Signs can include difficulty breathing, throat or tongue swelling, a drop in blood pressure, or loss of consciousness. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. Use epinephrine if prescribed and seek emergency medical care immediately.

How we diagnose it

Your evaluation may include a detailed medical and food history along with allergy testing. Depending on your symptoms, testing may include:

• Skin prick testing: Small amounts of suspected allergens are placed on the skin to look for an allergic response.
• Blood (IgE) testing: A blood test can measure IgE antibodies associated with specific foods.
• Oral food challenges: Under medical supervision, you may eat carefully measured amounts of a food to determine whether you have an allergy.

No single test should be interpreted on its own. Our team will consider your symptoms, history, and test results together.

Treatment and management

Managing a food allergy starts with knowing your triggers and having a clear food allergy avoidance plan. Your care plan may include reading food labels, preventing cross-contact, and knowing what to do if an accidental exposure occurs.

If you have been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector, we can help you understand when and how to use it. For some patients with appropriate indications, biologic therapy may also be part of treatment.

Related conditions we treat

• Oral allergy syndrome: An itchy or tingling mouth and throat after eating certain raw fruits, vegetables, or other foods, often related to pollen allergies.
• Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE): An immune-related condition that causes inflammation of the esophagus and may lead to swallowing problems.
• FPIES: A food allergy condition that typically causes delayed, repeated vomiting and sometimes diarrhea after eating a trigger food.

Living with food allergy

Living with a food allergy does not mean you have to manage it alone. Learn your triggers, keep your emergency medications accessible, check food labels carefully, and make sure family members, caregivers, teachers, and coworkers know about your allergy and emergency plan.

Regular visits with an allergy specialist can help you review your symptoms, testing, medications, and prevention plan as your needs change.

You can also see all the allergy conditions we treat.

Medically reviewed by Pulin P. Patel, DO, FACAAI