Peanut Allergy Symptoms
Peanut allergy is a food type allergy but different from nut allergies. Peanut is one of the most common and dangerous food allergies. The abnormal reaction of the immune system is the reason behind the peanut allergy. In this condition the immune system produces the chemicals and antibodies that affect the body parts such as skin, nose, eyes, intestinal tract, airways, blood vessels and lungs.
It may be very severe in some people that they cannot bear the smell of peanuts. Some children may also get affected by the peanut allergies and may outgrow in their adulthood. According to studies, about 1% of American population is affected by the peanut allergy. The allergy may have some mild as well as severe symptoms and some times it may cause to death.
What are the symptoms of peanut allergy?
It takes some minutes to show the allergy signs after the exposure of peanuts or peanut products. It can range form the stomach aches to anaphylaxis that further leads into hypotension and heart failure. However, there are some common symptoms of peanut such as skin reactions like urticaria, swelling of face, lips and throat, aggravation of atopic eczema. There may also digestive problems such as vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. You may experience other symptoms including sneezing, itchy sensation in throat and mouth, runny nose, shortness of breath, tightening of chest, light headedness etc.
The allergy mostly affects the four body systems such as;
- Skin: Skin reaction is most common reaction in every type of food allergy. It shows signs such as itchy, red, bumpy rashes, redness, eczema and swelling around the face and mouth.
- Cardiovascular system: In this condition, person may feel faint or lightheaded.
- Gastrointestinal System: Here, the person may experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and belly cramps.
- Respiratory system: There may be symptoms such as runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, sneezing that may cause wheezing and asthma with coughing.
Still there is no any proper reason why the peanut allergy occurs. But, the children who have 1st degree relatives with atopic allergies are more likely to develop the peanut symptoms. The allergy developed in the pregnancy and breast feeding doesn't have any link to material exposure to peanut to cause the peanut allergy. But the data shows that the time of breastfeeding may be linked to causing peanut symptoms.
According to studies, exposure to soy milk is correlated with peanut allergies, but the studies of Australian group say that there is no any type of this linkage. According to other groups, delay on the introduction of peanut products may increase the risk of peanut allergies.
Treatment for peanut allergy:
Peanut allergy may develop mild and severe symptoms and sometimes death also, but still there is no any proper treatment or remedy for this condition. The person having the peanut must have to avoid the peanuts and it is the only way or treatment for peanut allergies. There is also a method to treat the children having peanut allergy in which the children are feed with small amount of peanut that become larger and larger to desensitize the immune system to peanut allergies.
