Nut Allergy Hives

Milk allergy is a common food allergy, which affects nearly about one to two percent of preschool children. It is not much common in school age children. It is often caused due to allergy antibodies against milk proteins. All the reactions that are caused due to the antibodies are the immediate allergic reaction. You can detect these antibodies with an allergy test like a skin prick test. Not all the children with a positive milk allergy antibody test get reactions on drinking milk or consuming food that contains milk. If your child has never drunk milk and has a positive allergy test, then your doctor will determine the higher chances of getting a reaction after consumption. This is done by doing a milk challenge at the hospital.

Allergies occur as an overreaction to the body's immune system to particular substances. The immune system's overreaction to these substances leads to allergies on the body. Probable allergens can range from dust mites to foods such as seafood, nuts and dairy products as well.

Nuts happen to be one of the most common food allergens. Hives that are caused due to the consumption of nuts are referred to as nut allergy hives. If someone is suffering from nut allergy, it is most likely that he or she will react to tree nuts or peanuts. Tree nuts include cashews, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. Usually babies tend to develop nut allergy hives more than the adults.

The symptoms of nut allergy differ from person to person, depending on the condition and severity. The symptoms usually crop up within a few minutes of consuming the nuts. Some of the most common signs of nut allergy hives include the following.

• Rashes all over the skin
• Itchy skin and eyes at the same time
• Breathing problems
• Tingling of tongue, lips or mouth.
• Problems in the digestive system like stomach cramps vomiting and the like.
• If the nut allergy hive is of serious nature, the following symptoms will be visible
• Dizziness
• Swelling of the lips, throat, face and tongue.
• The victim might develop anaphylaxis, in case of severity. In this case the lungs might swell up making it difficult to breathe.
• Chances are there that the blood pressure might fall with an increased heart beat.
• Victim may become unconscious.
• As the body detects that nuts are harmful, certain body cells called mast cells release a chemical known as histamine. It is this chemical histamine that triggers the swellings.
• If someone is already suffering from eczema or asthma, they have high chances of developing nut allergy hives. Nut allergy reaction can also be caused by the following as well
• Direct contact through skin contact or eating
• Cross contact, a product being contaminated with nuts.
• Sometimes breathing in the allergens can also lead to nut allergy hives.

If you think you are suffering from nut allergy, it is probable that you have nut intolerance. Certain examination needs to be carried out such as blood tests and skin prick tests to exactly determine the disease one has been infected with.

Treating Nut Allergy Hives

• The best way of treating nut allergy is to avoid the consumption of nuts and any other products containing nuts.
• Antihistamines can also come to the rescue.
• If the hives patient is a victim of anaphylaxis, one needs to carry adrenaline in case of emergency. However, the use of EpiPen or AnaPen can help in reducing the reaction.

Nut allergy hives are a common skin disorder that affects everyone differently. Once considered to be a life-long disorder, it is no longer so. Diagnosis at the right time followed by proper treatment and medication can bring the condition under control. However, at the same time it is also advisable that one should avoid eating nuts and other food products containing nuts if they want to do away with nut allergy hives.