Mushrooms are nutritious and delicious which has made its consumption increased over the years. However, this veggie is also linked with allergic reactions in some people. What is a mushroom allergy? What are the symptoms of mushroom allergy? How can mushroom allergy be treated? Is mushroom allergy fatal? You will get all the answers in this article.
What Is Mushroom Allergy?
This is an allergic response to the consumption of all varieties of mushrooms. A lot of people are mushroom-intolerant and the allergy can be triggered by eating them or by inhaling their spores. This condition is divided into three types: allergic reactions, intolerance and poisoning.
While intolerance only makes you slightly ill, an allergy would produce immediate symptoms. The worse being poisoning where if a person consumes mushroom, it can get fatal for his health!
Causes Of Mushroom Allergy
A mushroom allergy occurs when your body misunderstands the proteins present in the mushrooms to be unfamiliar particles. This results in the weakening of the immune system. Thus, the body of the person releases antibodies to fight the proteins by releasing histamine. The symptoms that come are caused due to histamine.
Symptoms Of Mushroom Allergy
The common symptoms of mushroom allergy are:
- Skin rashes or hives
- Bloating or stomach cramping
- Swelling of mouth, lips, and/or throat
- Runny nose and/or watery eyes
- Wheezing
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
When mushroom allergy is severe, a person may suffer fainting, shortness of breath and lowering blood pressure.
Diagnosing Mushroom Allergy
Skin prick test which is a food allergy test is done to identify mushroom allergy. In this test, a little amount of mushroom protein is injected into the skin of the person’s body. If the person suffers any kind of redness or irritation or inflammation, it means he/she is allergic to mushroom. After the diagnosis, treatment can be made as per the severity of the situation.
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Treatment of mushroom allergy
Treating mushroom allergy generally done by taking an antihistamine which would alleviate the visible symptoms. You can either orally ingest this medicine or use it as a nasal spray.
However, when the symptoms in the patient are serious such as an anaphylactic reaction, one should consult a doctor immediately. They would prescribe the right medicine in the right dosage to relax the respiratory tract.
Once the symptoms are under control, take preventive measures to prevent the recurrence of this condition.
- Tips to prevent Mushroom Allergy
- Avoid eating all kinds of mushrooms
- Avoid consuming mold products such as yeast
- Always keep anti-allergic medications with you
- Consume packaged foods with caution as some of them may trigger an allergy. Some of these foods are beer, cheese, sour cream, dry fruits, etc.
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