Allergy
At one time, allergy meant any form of hypersensitivity to substances such as foods, dust, mould, pollen, chemicals etc. By the 1960′s, it became clear that different types of reactions exist, and the term “allergy” came to mean “type I hypersensitivity”. The term allergy is becoming more blurred lately, as many people refer to any type of food, particle or chemical intolerance as being an allergy.
Use of Allergy on Allergy-Details.com
This website, purists may be horrified to discover, uses a more blurred definition of allergy. This is for the sake of convenience, since “type I, II, III, IV or V hypersensitivity” (or even the term hypersensitivity on it’s own) is cumbersome.
The point of this website is that certain substances (for example, a food) cause some people to become ill (celiac for example), or cause any number of undesirable effects, or symptoms (food allergy).
The purpose of this website is to help you discover your allergies, and then deal with them. “Dealing with allergies” ranges from avoiding the allergen (especially in the case of food) to using allergy control products.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
wine allergy or eczema
I have been told by a MD/dermatologist that I have eczema on my hands/legs, but it seems to get worse at times–possibly after drinking wine. On my hands I have small VERY itchy blisters especially around the knuckles and joints. The skin after a day or two gets dry and peels off. The legs are similar but not quite as intense. Does anyone else have something similar or do you have any suggestions? This has been going on for 5 years on and off. Thanks for any help.
wine allergy or excema
Yes, I have had the same symptoms for about 3 years now, the same places you mentioned and also around the knuckles and base of my toes. I could never figure out what was causing it. Most recently, I got the same thing on my cheeks and lips! I just enjoyed a bottle of Chilean sauvignon blanc this week and symptoms began the first night we had it and got progressively worse after we finished it the next day. I really wonder if it is connected to the wine. Of course now I can’t recall whether I had a similar wine in other years or what. But once the symptoms begin, they don’t just go away!
I have the exact same symptoms! I started to have a glass or two every night and suddenly my eczema got really bad. I have had no wine for five days now and my skin is clearing up! I (sadly) think it is the wine as I have changed nothing else. (White wine.)
Sounds like a sulfite/sulfate allergy. Sulfites are added to wine. Sulfates are added to soaps and detergents that you would use on your clothes and skin. It is difficult to eliminate, but use Dr. bronner’s soap for everything including laundry (add washing soda and borax 1/4 each per load) and you will find the rash goes away. Eliminate added sulfates/sulfites in foods, including wines, processed cheeses, breads, dried fruit, some fruit juices etc.
Allergies
I have a 11year old son that was just diagnosed with some very complex allergies, ranging from Gluten, wheat, nuts, seeds, onions,peanut,annatto, and strawberries. How do you help a child of this age deal with a massive dietary change like this, and how do u help them with the grief (depression)that goes with these changes..
Allergies and children
That is a good question, Kelly.
I don’t have much experience with children, so I hope other visitors will leave comments for you you to help you out.
I hope you are able to find foods that she likes and that she can eat, and then help her focus on what she can eat.
Maybe you can find some treats that she loves and that don’t contain the foods she is allergic to, and make her feel special because only she can eat them.
Teaching her to look forward rather than backwards will be a good life lesson.
Following a new diet is inconvenient, but it is also an adventure.
Piece of cake,,,,,,,he’s old enuf to know what it’s like to feel great.
So approach it this way…..Just think, he can eat ”everything else”’. And he’ll feel great.
I was diagnosed as a child, and once my Mom Knew what I was allergic to, then it was easy……..instead of me throwing my eggs down the toilet every morning, without her knowing it, so as not to embarass her, (for I was getting stomach aches from mild and eggs and orange juice), she figured out that it was obvious I needed to be tested once I missed so much school due to susceptibility to sickness , due to my allergies.
So I got allergy shots, five per week, and I felt like a MILLION BUCKS, and IN FACT , WHEN EVERYONE AT SCHOOL OR HOME GOT SICK, I DIDN’T……
I’VE BEEN IN MY GLORY EVER SINCE.
ALLERGIES AREN’T SO BAD. THE ONLY THING BAD, IS ”NOT KNOWING WHAT U’RE ALLERGIC TO”’.
HE HAS A CHANCE NOW TO FEEL GREAT.
I couldn’t agree more, Barb, well put!
Nausea
For the past two weeks I feel nausious as if something could come up. I’ve had this years ago and was told allergies were causing nasal drainage. Is that true? Would an allergy medicine help? It’s just an annoying feeling
You have covered everything but synthetic perfume allergies. I am literally a prisoner in my own home now that I live in Quebec where everyone insists on wearing huge amounts of cologne or perfume.
You are right Kay, synthetic perfumes are vile, and can certainly cause allergies, this is a common problem. I’ll see about getting some info on the site.
hi, i have had a terrible skin rash for the past three months, i have had 16 doctors visits but no creams antibiotics or anything have worked..i have tried everything!! it is on both my inner thighs, around my underarms and on the buttocks, does this sound liek maybe a gluten intolerance? it is the only thing i havent tried
Hi Amy,
Skin symptoms tend to be very hard to diagnose. Usually doctors try treating the symptoms, rather than looking for the underlying cause.
So, you’re on the right track!
One possible cause is some sort of food reaction, and yes, gluten is one possible cause. Try cutting it out and see what happens.
Keep in mind that it may caused by any number of foods, singly or in combination.
Best of luck!
My Dr. has diagnosed my problem “hives from red meat allergy” caused by a tick bite as galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (Alpha-Gal) IgE . Do you know of studies that might go further and address beef byproducts, milk and cheese as it affects those of us with this problem
Hi, I am having a issue with my daughter. She just turned 2 years old and never had any kind of allergic reaction to food before. (My 3 yr old son is allergic to apples) So far she has had reactions to Ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, Little Caesar’s pizza, and Minigo yogurt (peach/raspberry mix). I just feel lost cause I don’t know what’s going on! She has an allergy test coming up
Hi Kari,
That’s really too bad that your daughter seems to be developing allergies. Hopefully she’ll grow out of them.
I suggest you write down all of the ingredients of each of the products to which she reacts and try to find what they all have in common, then try to eliminate ingredients by finding product with those same ingredients but no reaction.
Hello,
The last two years and especially this year, suffering from salt that is dumped on roads, so I feel a lot salt in my whole mouth and throat and this salt seems to me increasing the level of my stomach acid also(acid reflux) and I suffer a lot in this time, when I take to eat or drink the salt is cleaned of my mouth, and if I after sitting in the apartment where the door and windows are closed then I don’t have this problems anymore with salt.
Thanks !
My husband gets symptoms like hay fever when he eats pasta. Lately this has been happening more often (every couple of days)even when he has no pasta and his allergy pills are less effective. Does he need to cut out all wheat? He also takes a low-dose aspirin daily. Does that have anything to do with it? I’ve been seeing that mentioned on websites.
Thanks!
Pasta is pretty much just wheat, so yes, I suggest he cuts out all gluten. Also watch for what he usually puts on the pasta, maybe it is something in the sauce rather than the wheat.
Aspirin can cause minor stomach bleeding, so that may be the connection. It might be worth replacing the daily aspirin with something else that serves the same purpose.
He could also be reacting to the excess fluoride in the pasta! I know it sounds nuts, but many people are sensitive to fluoridated water, and when foods like pasta are made, we get a highly concentrated dose. Fluoride does not evaporate when foods are cooked or boiled, rather it is concentrated, so a pasta noodle would have heavy concentrations of fluoride. The fluoride added to our water is not a necessary nutrient, so it can really be allergenic. You may want to also check ingredients in Aspirin. Most medication is also high in different types of fluoride so this may be the connection. I would do some research on fluoride toxicity and sensitivity, and check with your city about how much is in your water. Adya water filters get out all fluoride as do some other more expensive filters.
I want to know about what foods contain yeast,I have been told that it may be the cuase for severe allergy problems I have.
See Foods that Contain Yeast, an article on this site.
I have a shellfish and other fish allergy. My shellfish includes all crustaceans and molluscs. For other fish, I tested positive for salmon, haddock and trout. I had wanted to be tested for more exotic species as I travel, however my doctor didn’t have the serum. I was interested in sea urchins and jellyfish for example. I have been trying to find out if there is a link with these species and shellfish but have come up empty.
Hello ,
I am desprate and feel very sad as a doctor will not lisen to me. I am allergic to 9/out of 10 pollens…currently in melbourne it’s high. I can’t hae antihistimines as I am allergic to them too. Recently I bought a vaporizer to try an alleviate the symptoms , however went from bad to worse. The vaporizing liquid had methyl salycitate . I only had it on for 8 hours , but devloped almost like toxic symptoms. Runny nose ,Itchy runny eyes and asthma . Still two weeks later I can’t get rid of the vaporizer smell. It gone from eucaliptus smell to a wood burning smell. I am unable to sleep in my room and Doctors say I shouldn’t be allergic to that. Please am I allegic to the methyl salyciate ? I can’t go for a patch test because doctors say it cost too much money. Please can somone help me. I’m crying and scared . Help ! Also will I ever be able to go back into my room ?
Try finding a health practitioner who specializes in NAET. That cured me (literally) of 28 pollen and mold allergies.
Good luck!
Kathy,
Go off all dairy. There is a cross allergic reaction between dairy and pollen. Eating dairy triggers the pollen response.
God bless,
I have food intolerance to yeast, dairy and eggs. I’m open to ideas of how to deal with it. I’ve found things I can eat but it gets boring sometimes, Im looking for new things to try (but its frustrating to always search and put it right back on the shelf or to worry that the new food will make me sick) I would love to hear whats helped others.
Also, I am traveling to South Africa and am super excited about it but super nervous about what to eat. Let me know if you have any experience with allergies/intolerance and South African food.
Thanks!
-Danielle
I know exactly how you feel Danielle! You will find lots of ideas on this site, and others out there on the internet. And with time you’ll learn the ropes and it will get easier for you.
Hi Danielle!
I found out today that I have food intolerance very similar to yours… I have a Bimby (have you heard of it? it’s a sort of magic food processor with which you can cook almost anything very easily) and I hope to be able to make e.g. sort of “my own bread” with the food I’m not allergic to (buckwheat and I can eat corn twice a week)… I hope it works! Good luck for you…
my 5 year old daughter has alergies to dairy and soya already. and yesterday after her breakfast of weetabix and oatly milk she had a major reaction. covered in rash and her hands and feet swelled really badly. hosp said she was 1 step away from anaphalactic shock…and we bin told she prob gota have an epi pen.. that happend yesterday and shes still covered in a rash….. i have no idea how were gona cope now, theres so much she cant have . poor little thing . any recipy ideas would be great plz …. cant contain dairy/ soya / wheet/ or oats xx