Food Allergies
Allergy & Immunology, Rheumatology & Asthma Specialists located in Amarillo, TX
Food allergies can be life-threatening, so knowing what foods to avoid is vital. If you or your child develops food allergy symptoms, visit Allergy A.R.T.S. in Amarillo, Texas. Constantine K. Saadeh, MD, FAAAAI, FACP, FACR, and the team have extensive expertise in allergy testing, analysis, and treating allergies in patients of all ages. Call the Allergy A.R.T.S. office to schedule a food allergy assessment, or book a consultation online today.
Food allergies develop because your immune system reacts to certain harmless substances as threats to make you sick.
Your immune system identifies microorganisms like bacteria and viruses that invade the body and cause disease. It responds by producing antibodies that attack and kill the invading organisms.
If you have a food allergy, the immune system incorrectly identifies specific foods as a threat. This reaction releases large quantities of histamine, a substance that triggers inflammation.
If you have an infection or injury, inflammation plays a vital role in healing. However, when you have a food allergy, it causes unpleasant and potentially harmful symptoms.
Food allergies cause various symptoms that affect your skin, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract. Common food allergy symptoms include:
Some people have food allergies that trigger an extreme, life-threatening response called anaphylaxis. This condition can cause dizziness, a weak pulse, fainting, confusion, shock, and loss of consciousness.
While you could develop an allergy to any food, the most common ones include:
Avoiding the foods you’re allergic to is essential. The Allergy A.R.T.S. team offers comprehensive allergy testing to determine which foods affect you so you can exclude them from your diet.
Avoiding substances that trigger your symptoms is the most effective way to manage food allergies. Always check the labels before eating anything because your allergen only needs to be present in small quantities to trigger a reaction.
Even traces of allergens can trigger anaphylaxis in some people. If you’re at risk, your Allergy A.R.T.S. provider prescribes epinephrine injectors you must always carry with you. Be sure you know how to use the injector and that whoever you’re with knows where it is and how to use it.
A new approach to treating food allergies is immunotherapy. This treatment gradually accustoms your immune system to a food allergen by frequent, regular exposure to tiny amounts.
Immunotherapy has treated environmental allergies successfully for many years and is now increasingly available for food allergies.
Call Allergy A.R.T.S. today or book an appointment online for an accurate diagnosis and effective food allergy treatment.