Diagnosis and Treatment
You should see a doctor if you experience the symptoms of a food allergy after ingesting one of these common food allergens. You doctor may ask you to keep a food diary and record when symptoms occur to determine which foods you are having a reaction to. The next step may be an elimination diet, in which you eliminate food items from you diet and then add them back one by one to determine which foods are causing an allergic reaction.
There are also tests that your doctor can perform to determine if you are suffering from a food allergy. A skin prick test, in which small amounts of suspected substances are injected underneath your skin, is a common allergy test. If you are allergic you will develop a raised bump. Blood tests can also be used to diagnose food allergies by measuring the amount of antibodies your body creates in response to different food items.
Unfortunately, the only way to treat a food allergy is to completely avoid the foods that cause symptoms. For some food allergens this can be difficult because while keeping them out of the house is easy, many can be well hidden in processed and restaurant foods. If you have a food allergy you can take certain precautions to prevent a reaction, such as reading food labels and asking questions when dining outside your own home.
