Overview of Wheat Allergy

Wheat is a common ingredient that is used in a variety of foods out there. Unfortunately wheat is a product that doesn’t agree with a large number of people. They have a wheat allergy so they need to be very careful about reading labels and identifying foods that they need to avoid. While people of all ages can suffer from a wheat allergy, it often starts in childhood. More than half of all children with this type of allergy will outgrow it.

The rest continue to deal with it into adulthood as well. There is a small percentage of adults that develop an allergy to wheat later in life. Most of them have some other types of allergies as well that may trigger the body not accepting wheat either. There is some evidence to indicate that wheat allergy can be genetic but there are many other causes of it as well.

When a person does suffer from a wheat allergy they will show symptoms of it within a couple of hours. That time frame helps doctors and patients to really be able to pinpoint what is responsible for triggering the allergic reaction. For most people the symptoms are very mild including rashes, hives, and feeling sick. It isn’t uncommon for someone to have stomach cramps or to vomit either. Those with a more severe reaction may have trouble breathing as their airways swell up. They will need to seek immediate medical attention.

The right treatment for a wheat allergy will depend on what is going on. If the wheat allergy is quite severe an injection of Epinephrine may be necessary in order to save the person’s life. For most people though it won’t be that severe. Antihistamines and over the counter products can often take care making a person more comfortable until this symptoms are completely gone in a couple of days.

No matter how mild a wheat allergy seems to be the doctor needs to be informed. If it isn’t dealt with the next time you consume wheat products you could end up experiencing a more severe reaction. Too many people assume that they have a wheat allergy as well when they don’t. Your doctor will be able to do some testing of the blood or skin to be able to determine that for sure. In many instances though a person is allergic to gluten which is often found in products that are made with wheat.

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