What to do if you have a food allergy

Stop the suspected allergenic food you are eating as soon as possible. If you have a tight throat, difficulty breathing, or widespread swelling all over your body, don’t hesitate to call 120 immediately. The onset of anaphylactic shock is unimaginable, and something serious may happen even ten minutes later.

Last week, when I was on duty at the allergy clinic, I met a college student. His roommate ate two bites of mango cake on his birthday. Before, he only knew that he would get a rash when touching mangoes and didn't take it seriously. However, within ten minutes this time, he couldn't breathe and his face was so swollen that he even narrowed his eyes. Fortunately, his roommate directly called the school doctor to give him an epinephrine injection. By the time he was delivered, he had stabilized a lot and was not admitted to the ICU.

If your allergic reaction is not severe, but you only have a local rash and itchiness, without abdominal pain or difficulty breathing, don't scratch it randomly. Take a regular second-generation antihistamine first, and drink plenty of warm water to speed up metabolism. If your face is itchy and uncomfortable, apply a cold towel for three to five minutes. Don't apply hormone ointments on your face, and don't take a hot bath if you feel hot. When the hot water hits the blood vessels, the histamine will spread faster, and the rash will only get worse.

Nowadays, there are different opinions in the industry about whether allergic reactions should be lifelong taboos. Many doctors believe that as long as you have experienced allergic reactions, especially severe reactions, it is best not to touch allergens in your life to avoid triggering dangers.； Some doctors who perform desensitization treatment also suggest that people with mild allergies that do not affect the respiratory and circulatory systems can try small-dose gradual desensitization under the full guidance of professional doctors. Two years ago, I came into contact with a 3-year-old child who was mildly allergic to eggs and only had a rash. If there were other reactions, I started with 1/8 egg yolk and slowly increased the amount according to the doctor's instructions. After eight months of persistence, I can now eat whole eggs normally. However, this must be under the supervision of professionals. Ordinary people must not blindly try it at home. I have seen too many people go to the emergency room blindly trying to desensitize themselves.

By the way, if you don’t know exactly what you ate that caused your allergy this time, you can take the time to go to the hospital for an allergen test after the reaction is completely gone. Dozens of common allergens can be found. Take a look at the ingredient list next time you eat, and you can avoid a lot of unnecessary sins.