Allergies are common all around the world. They result from an overreaction of the immune system to certain external stimuli such as pollen and mold. Common symptoms of allergies include running nose, blocked nose, coughing and sneezing. But what about nausea? Is it one of the symptoms of allergies too?
Yes, allergies can cause nausea. Specifically, nausea can result from food allergies. A food allergy occurs just like any other allergy- the body detects the presence of foreign material and releases antibodies to counter the foreign material. The release of histamine then causes the symptoms of food allergies. Children under the age of 5 are more likely to have food allergies compared to older people, and the most common food allergy for people in this age group is allergy to milk. Other common food allergies include wheat, salmon, shrimp and tree nuts.
Apart from nausea, food allergies are likely to result in stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. About 75 percent of the adult population suffers from at least one food allergy.
Although nausea is a common symptom for food allergy, it is not a usual symptom for pollen allergy. Pollen allergy, also referred to as hay fever, comes with symptoms that closely resemble those of common cold.
Can allergies cause nausea? Yes, then what to do about it? Of course, a reliable way to deal with allergy induced nausea is to avoid coming into contact with the foods that one is allergic to. However, it is still likely that you will come into contact with the foods at one time or another. Besides, it is not easy to identify all the foods that you are allergic to.
Usually, you will vomit or experience diarrhea after taking in a food that you are allergic to. These serve to expel the food from your body, and once this is done, your system will get back to normal. In other words, the symptoms of the food allergy will subside. Granted, some minor symptoms may linger for a while. These can be handled using over the counter medications. However, more severe cases of allergic reactions to foods will necessitate a doctor’s attention. In the worst cases, a patient will have to be injected with epinephrine.
You can treat vomiting by:
When nauseated, you can avoid vomiting by:
Can allergies cause nausea? Therefore, just like with all other medical conditions, prevention is the best treatment. As we have already established that it is not easy to always avoid all the foods that one is allergic to, let alone identify them all. However, if you do have a food allergy, it is important to take the pains to avoid taking in the foods you are allergic to. Here are some of the ways you can do this:
If you have a child who is allergic to certain foods then you can protect him/ her by: