If you have suffered from symptoms of a food allergy after eating, (swelling in and around the mouth, vomiting, runny nose), the most important questions on your mind are likely to be 'what is wrong?' and 'how can this be treated?'.

Well treatment for food allergies (such as an allergic reaction to peanuts or shellfish) is usually administered immediately, as an allergic reaction to food can happen so suddenly, typically within an hour after eating the food item.

Treating Food Allergies:

Other than avoiding the food item, there are two forms of treatment administered according to the severity of your reaction.

Antihistamines

This is a treatment given to people whose reaction tends to be mild, such as a runny nose, or a rash developing. Antihistamines are dispensed to you by your doctor or GP.

Anaphylaxis

The other treatment available for food allergies is usually only reserved for the most severe of cases.

Those people at risk of anaphylaxis need to take much more precautions. Anaphylaxis is a more severe reaction, whereby the whole body goes into anaphylactic shock requires that you carry and use a pre-loaded adrenaline syringe. But anaphylaxis is a rare but potentially fatal allergic reaction.

Are you really food allergic? Or simply food intolerant?

If you have not been diagnosed with a food allergy, please do not take a mild reaction to food to be much worse than it may be. Even though an estimated 25% of adults believe that they have a food allergy, less than 2% of adults do (this number increases to approximately 6-7% amongst children, however some children eventually outgrow their allergy).

A reaction to a food item could simply mean that you have what is known as food intolerance, which is where you have had an undesirable reaction to a food, but not a severe one.

Remember, always consult your doctor if you are worried for yourself or for a family member.