Peanut Allergy - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Health

Peanut allergy is a body reaction that occurs when you eat nuts or peanut-based foods. These reactions can include itching of the skin, sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Nuts are one type of food that is good for consumption, because they contain complete nutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Several types of nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, or walnuts, have the same nutritional content.

Peanut allergy is one type of food allergy that is mostly experienced by children. However, peanut allergies can also be experienced by adults. When experiencing a peanut allergy, treatment needs to be done immediately to prevent a more severe allergic reaction, namely anaphylactic shock.

Causes of Peanut Allergy

Peanut allergy occurs when the immune system reacts and perceives peanuts as substances that are harmful to the body (allergens). This reaction can trigger the body to produce a chemical compound called histamine.

Histamine can spread through the blood vessels and affect various body tissues, such as the skin, respiratory tract, and intestines, and trigger allergy symptoms.

A person can develop a peanut allergy if:

  • Eating nuts or foods containing nuts.
  • There is direct contact between the skin and nuts (if the patient is very sensitive).
  • Inhaling peanut odors or dust containing nuts, such as peanut flour.

There are several groups of people who are at high risk of suffering from a peanut allergy, namely:

  • Babies and children, because their immune systems and digestive systems are still not fully developed.
  • Adults who have had a peanut allergy as children or have a family history of peanut allergy.
  • People who have allergies to certain foods.
  • Atopic eczema sufferers.

Peanut Allergy Symptoms

Allergic reactions that appear are different for each patient, ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms of a peanut allergy usually begin to be felt within minutes to hours after the sufferer eats or touches peanuts. Early symptoms of a peanut allergy include:

  • Headache.
  • Sneeze.
  • Nasal congestion.
  • Watery eyes.
  • The skin feels itchy, red, and a rash appears.
  • Swollen lips.
  • Discomfort around the mouth and throat.
  • Stomach cramps.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.

When to go to the doctor

Immediately consult a doctor if symptoms of allergies appear after eating peanuts, even if these symptoms are mild.

You are also advised to check with your child to the doctor, if there is a history of peanut allergy or other allergies in the family. This action aims to determine whether the child has an allergy to peanuts or certain substances, so that allergy symptoms can be prevented.

If someone experiences severe dizziness, shortness of breath, or even loses consciousness after consuming nuts, immediately take them to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. These symptoms need to be watched out for, because they can signal anaphylactic shock which can be life threatening.

Peanut Allergy Diagnosis

If you suspect a peanut allergy, immediately consult an allergy specialist. Before undergoing the consultation, you should make notes about the types of food eaten, when allergy symptoms first appeared, the duration of symptoms, and what has been done to relieve symptoms.

This note is important because the doctor will ask about these things. The doctor will also ask for a family history of allergies and asthma, as well as perform a physical examination. If the symptoms that arise are suspected to be due to allergies, the doctor will perform several allergy tests to determine the cause of the allergy, including:

  • blood test

    This test is done to check the level of immunoglobulin antibodies in the blood and measure the immune system's response to certain foods.

  • Skin prick test (skin prick test)

    In this test, the doctor will prick an area of ​​​​the skin, then insert a special solution under the surface of the skin and monitor the reaction that appears.

If the cause of the allergy is still unknown through blood tests and skin prick tests, the doctor will perform other examination methods, such as:

  • Food elimination

    In this examination, the patient is asked not to eat nuts or other foods for a week or two. After that, the patient is allowed to return to his original eating pattern while recording all the food he consumed. This method should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

  • food test (food challenge)

    In this test, the doctor will give you food with and without pea protein content. Then, the doctor will observe the patient to see whether or not an allergic reaction occurs. This test is done under the direct supervision of a doctor, so that it can be treated immediately if a severe allergic reaction occurs.

Peanut Allergy Treatment

Treatment for peanut allergies aims to relieve symptoms that appear and prevent allergic reactions from occurring. The best way to prevent a peanut allergic reaction is to avoid peanuts and products that contain peanuts.

If you experience a mild allergic reaction, immediately take over-the-counter anti-allergic tablets, for example chlorpheniramine, in order to relieve the symptoms that appear. This medicine may cause drowsiness.

Another treatment for peanut allergies is immunotherapy. This treatment is carried out by doctors by giving a small amount of allergen to the patient gradually, in order to form immunity to the allergen.

However, immunotherapy is not widely used because of the risk of causing an anaphylactic reaction. If necessary, immunotherapy should be carried out under the supervision of an allergist.

Management of anaphylactic reactions

If you have a history of allergies and are at high risk of developing a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), you are advised to always carry injectable drugs epinephrine shaped like a pen. If an anaphylactic reaction occurs, this drug can be used to prevent a fatal reaction.

Some steps that need to be taken if symptoms of anaphylaxis appear are:

  • Use injection epinephrine, if you have it.
  • Seek medical help and make sure there is someone who is always with you when symptoms of anaphylaxis appear.
  • If you have an asthma attack, use inhaler to relieve shortness of breath.

When medical help arrives, the doctor will give oxygen to help breathing, corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, and antihistamines to relieve allergic reactions. If necessary, the doctor will also give the injection again epinephrine.

Intensive treatment will be carried out if the symptoms that appear are very severe. The doctor will monitor the patient's condition until it is stable and the allergy symptoms disappear.

Complications of Peanut Allergy

People with peanut allergies are at risk for anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis) or a severe allergic reaction. The following are some of the symptoms of anaphylaxis:

  • Swelling in the face.
  • Difficulty swallowing due to swelling in the throat.
  • Shortness of breath due to narrowing of the airways.
  • Heart beat.
  • Blood pressure drops dramatically, leading to shock.
  • Unconscious.

This condition is very dangerous and must be treated immediately by a doctor or medical officer. If not treated immediately, anaphylaxis can be life threatening.

Peanut Allergy Prevention

The best way to prevent a nut allergy is to avoid peanuts or other nut-based foods, such as biscuits, breads, cakes, cereals, jams, and candy. In addition, the following steps need to be taken to prevent the occurrence of peanut allergies:

  • Check the composition label before buying and consuming packaged foods. Make sure the food does not contain nuts or pea protein.
  • Avoid sharing the use of kitchen utensils or cutlery with other people, such as the knife used to spread peanut butter.
  • Tell your family, friends, or close relatives that you have a peanut allergy, so they can help you avoid peanuts.
  • Prepare food from home so you don't have to buy food outside of unknown content.
  • Ask the ingredients used before ordering food or drinks at a restaurant. Avoid those containing nuts.
  • Make sure to always carry injectable drugs epinephrine, anytime and anywhere, to treat severe allergic reactions.
  • In infants, the introduction of peanuts early can reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy later in life.

If there is a history of peanut allergy in your family and your child is entering the solids phase, you should consult a pediatrician. Ask your pediatrician if it's okay to introduce peanut-based foods to your child or do you need to do an examination first.