Wednesday, February 20, 2008

What is the Most Common Food Allergies in Adults?

It does not matter whether you are an adult being diagnosed for the first time or if you have suffered from them since childhood, food allergies can be a little overwhelming. They don't have to be, though, and once you have been properly diagnosed, you can learn how to manage your food allergies effectively. One of the first places to begin is answer the question of what is the most common food allergies in adults?
Common Food Allergies in Adults

When figuring out what is the most common food allergies in adults you first need to look at when the food allergy was originally diagnosed. This is because the most common allergy will differ if you were a child when you were initially diagnosed. If you have carried food allergies from childhood into adulthood then the most common food allergies would be peanuts, dairy and soy. These three foods usually, but not always, begin in early childhood. Most children usually outgrow these allergies but if you were one of the ones that carried them into adulthood then these, statistically speaking, would be the most common food allergies in adults under these circumstances.

If however, you never had any food allergies as a child your most common food allergies would be a different list. One of the highest percentages of adult onset food allergies is found towards seafood. This allergy comes on suddenly and you need no history of allergies to suffer from it. Another very common adult onset allergy is wheat. This allergy usually creeps up on the allergy sufferer, it is not as sudden as a seafood allergy. This is why many adults suffer from food allergies for years before it is properly diagnosed.

Getting Properly Diagnosed

Often times it takes longer for adult to be diagnosed with food allergies because the symptoms often times mimic other problems. For example, many allergy sufferers feel run down constantly so doctors tend to look at things like thyroid problems or perhaps chronic fatigue syndrome first. If you think you may be suffering from a food allergy seek out the expertise of an allergist. They can run comprehensive tests including blood test or even skin prick testing. Either one of these will help you find out which foods you are allergic to.

Treatment Options

Unfortunately, for adults suffering from food allergies, there is no known cure for them. Many clinical studies are being done to see if allergy shots will someday be effective on food allergies but there is no "breakthrough" on the horizon. The only sure fire way to reduce your allergies is by completely avoiding the foods you are allergic to.



About the Author
Find out more on allergies to deodorant by visiting http://www.allergyanswersguide.com, a popular allergy website that specializes in offering free information on allergy shots and how they can reduce your sensitivity to allergens.

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