Peanut allergies are one of the most common allergies, affecting more than one percent of the population. They’re also among the most dangerous. However, there are people who think they’re allergic who are not and others who don’t recognize that they have the condition. Let’s discuss the signs that you may have a peanut allergy, the symptoms of an allergic reaction to peanuts, and the available treatment options.
The Signs of Peanut Allergies
In general, if you experience a histamine response after exposure to peanuts in any form, this is a sign you may have a peanut allergy. Another sign of peanut allergies is digestive problems when you eat anything containing peanuts. For example, if you experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhea any time you eat peanut products, you may have an allergy to peanuts.
A potential sign of peanut allergies in children, especially young children, is behavioral changes. When a hungry child becomes cranky after eating peanut products, it may be because they don’t feel well as their body attacks the food as if it were an infectious agent.
The Symptoms of Peanut Allergies
The more severe symptoms of peanut allergies include swelling up of the affected tissues and trouble breathing. If you ate something containing peanuts and feel burning in your mouth, see a rash around your mouth, or swelling of the face or throat, you’re having an allergic reaction to the peanuts and need medical attention. This may not occur immediately. However, around 90% of allergic reactions occur with twenty minutes of exposure.
People who have a peanut allergy and asthma are at high risk of a severe allergic reaction. These are the people who struggle to breathe because someone around them opened a bag of peanuts; the trace particles that carry the smell through the air can be enough to make their airways close up. Wheezing, coughing, dizziness, and fainting are possible in these cases. Extreme symptoms include an increased heart rate and low blood pressure. Do not disregard symptoms like these. The most severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, can be fatal.
Available Treatments for Peanut Allergies
This approach essentially desensitizes the patient to the food. It helps patients develop a food tolerance or even recover from the food allergy. This dramatically improves the quality of life for patients. It allows you to move on from the fear instead of relying on the standard treatment for peanut allergies, living in fear, and taking antihistamines or emergency medications upon exposure to peanut products.
If you’re suffering from a peanut allergy in Thailand there are many clinics that offer oral immunotherapy in the country. If you do decide to go for treatment, make sure that you do your research and go with a doctor with a solid reputation.
Conclusion
Understand the signs of peanut allergies so that you can get a firm diagnosis instead of living in fear. Know the symptoms of an allergic reaction so that you can prevent them from getting worse. And be aware of treatment options so that you don’t have to live in fear.