A peanut allergy is a form of food allergy that is specifically caused by peanuts or any other substances derived from peanuts. Peanut allergy can be caused by the nuts themselves or by peanut oil or other derivatives based on peanuts. This kind of food allergy needs the patient to be vigilant regarding what he eats because some reactions can be fatal. This kind of allergy is worst than hay fever or seasonal allergies.
Manifestations Of A Peanut Allergy
Some symptoms of peanut allergy are swelling of the face or some parts of it, upset stomach along with abdominal cramps, vomiting, asthma and hives. Anaphylactic shock can also occur due to constricting of the airways resulting to a fatality. Antihistamines do not work so well with this kind of food allergy because the allergic reactions may be varied and may take some time in being noticed. Epinephrine is usually given to individuals suffering from a peanut allergy.
The first signs of a peanut allergy are sneezing coupled with a tingling sensation that usually occurs at the mouth and throat. The person might also experience a light pallor as well as a feeling of lightheadedness and some heat. Anaphylactic shock most often occurs after an hour or several hours of ingesting peanuts or other peanut based food and substances. Those individuals with asthma and peanut allergies run a greater risk of dying due to the constriction of the airways.
Treating Peanut Allergy
Immediate treatment of a peanut allergy can be done by administering epinephrine to the patient. Once you suspect a severe allergic reaction, the patient needs to be brought immediately to a medical center for the administration of the medication. Another way of treating a peanut allergy is to avoid the food and its derivatives altogether. Avoidance of the food or any substance of the peanut can help you prevent any severe allergic reaction.
Ways of avoiding peanut allergy is based loosely on reading the labels of the foods that you are about to ingest. If you are in doubt regarding a certain food or ingredient, do not eat it.
There are many rumors and talks regarding how you can die from kissing a person who ha just eaten peanut or derivatives from it or even stepping barefoot on a peanut shell. Studies have shown a low probability of the allergic reaction due to kissing and the stepping on a peanut shell a myth in causing peanut allergy reactions.