How to deal with food allergies

If you really encounter a food allergy, the first priority is to determine the severity. If you have difficulty breathing, a tight throat, a hoarse voice, or confusion, don't hesitate to call 120 immediately. If you have an epinephrine pen with you, just follow the instructions and prick the outside of the thigh. This is the only way to save a life from a severe allergic reaction. Two months ago, when I was rotating in the allergy department, I picked up a young man in his 20s. After eating two mouthfuls of cashews, he felt his throat was blocked. It took him 20 minutes to call a taxi. When he arrived at the emergency department, his blood pressure had already dropped. It took two hours to stabilize him. If he had called 120 as soon as he had symptoms, it would not have been so dangerous.

If it is just redness around the mouth, scattered wheals on the body, a bit itchy, and no other discomfort, then don’t panic. Spit out the remaining food in your mouth immediately, don’t touch suspected allergenic foods, take a regular second-generation antihistamine and observe it at home. I once met a mother at a community free clinic. Her baby only had red mouth after eating half a mango. She gave her loratadine and didn't take it seriously. Half an hour later, the baby's eyelids were swollen and he was coughing so hard that he couldn't breathe. Only when he was sent to the emergency department did he find out that the allergy progressed quickly and ordinary antihistamines did not suppress it. Fortunately, he was delivered in time and no serious problems occurred.

Suppressing the allergy this time is only the first step. It is best to wait for 1 to 2 weeks after the symptoms have completely disappeared, go to the hospital to call the allergist department, and do an allergen test to identify the allergens. Trying to avoid them in the future is the most fundamental solution. Don't always think "I ate a little last time and it was fine." It’s a fluke that it will be fine if you eat more this time. Allergies are like the body’s immune security recognizing the wrong person. Originally harmless food is regarded as an invading enemy. This time it may just sound a local alarm to drive people away. Next time, it may directly activate the whole body defense, and the reaction will only be more fierce. There is really no need to gamble.

There are also many studies saying that for mild to moderate allergies to milk, eggs, and peanuts that are common in children, low-dose oral desensitization treatment under strict evaluation and full monitoring by doctors has a high probability of slowly building up tolerance, and there is no need to completely avoid the food in the future. There are indeed many clinical trials in this direction. The data supports it, but you must not try it at home. Last year, I took care of a parent who fed his peanut-allergic child crushed peanuts at home after reading popular science on the Internet. After eating as much as a small fingernail, he developed a severe allergy. He was admitted to the ICU for three days before he was discharged. The gain outweighed the loss.

If you know that you have a clear food allergy, you must tell the waiter in advance when eating out. Don't be too troublesome. If you have a history of severe allergies, it is best to keep an epinephrine pen with you. If you have a general allergic constitution, you can also bring a second-generation antihistamine with you, which can save a lot of trouble in case of trouble.