As we mentioned in the section on What is a Food Allergy, food allergy symptoms fall within a spectrum. Food allergies go beyond what we assume to be an allergic reaction, such as watery eyes and runny noses. Food allergies can be barely detectable or life threatening. But, for most of us, our symptoms will fall somewhere in between, making our food allergies annoying but manageable. Click on the page numbers above to read more about some common food allergy reactions using the food allergy spectrum.

What Foods Cause You Problems?

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Below is a list of common food allergy symptoms along with the level of severity with which they typically present. This list by no means represents all possible food allergy symptoms. Remember, these symptoms must be associated with particular foods that you have ingested in order for a possible food allergy to be considered as the culprit!

If you feel like you are suffering from a food-related allergy not listed below, you should promptly consult your physician for further information.

In the case of a severe or life-threatening allergy attack, call 911 immediately and/or get the individual to a hospital. Do not attempt to treat the person without the assistance of a trained medical professional.

Noticeable Food Allergy

• Slight indigestion resolving without assistance in a about an hour
• Slight itch inside of your mouth or on your lips-Comes and goes but always resolves
• Slight skin itching with no redness or swelling. Itching is not persistent and does not last
• Increased tiredness immediately after eating but resolves within a an hour
• Watery eyes

Mild Food Allergy

• Indigestion resolving with assistance
• Persistent mouth itch and lip itch that resolves without treatment
• Tiredness after eating that does not resolve within an hour
• Flushing
• Congestion in the form of a stuffy nose or mild sinus pressure-resolves within a few hours
• Single bout of diarrhea
• Gas and bloating

Moderate Food Allergy

• Stomachache after eating
• Severe congestion in the form of stuffy nose, sinus pressure and phlegm in the throat
• Bothersome itching inside of and around the mouth
• General ill feeling
Mild joint and muscle aches usually resolving within a few hours
• Headache
• Nausea without vomiting
• Substantial tiredness
• Sneezing
Facial swelling or puffiness
• Diarrhea lasting for the remainder of the day but resolves by the next morning

Before we address the severe and life-threatening symptoms of food allergy, it is wise to know the difference between food allergy and food poisening. You will notice that one major difference is the presence of a fever. Most cases of food poisening are accompanied by fever, whereas an allergic reaction to food usually is not. Also, if you pay attention to what you are eating (and where you are eating) you will notice if you have repeat bouts of being unwell after eating a certain food (food allergy) or if the unwellness is rare and not related to food type but related to location of ingestion or the food source (food poisening).

Severe Food Allergy

• Severe stomach pain, upset and/or vomiting
• Bouts of diarrhea that are frequent and severe
• Dizziness
• Coughing, congestion, sinus pain and sore throat
• Swelling in the skin, around the mouth or in the mouth
• Extreme weakness and fatigue
• Racing heart or heart palpitations*
• Redness associated with any swelling

*This may be a sign of another serious medical condition. Please see a physician if you have experienced this reaction to food.

Severe Food Poisening

• Stomach cramps or stomach pain
• Rapid onset of diarrhea and/or vomitting
• Flu-like sypmtoms
• Fever
• Aches and pains all over

Life Threatening Food Allergy

• Symptoms present as severe and rapidly get worse
• Difficulty breathing
• Collapses
• Choking
• Faints or goes unconscious
• Develops rash all over body
• Wheezing
• Severely dizzy and/or disoriented
• Radid swelling of the face, neck and extremeties

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When to Seek Medical Attention

• Severe Symptoms
• Life Threatening Symptoms
• When symptoms of any level get progressively worse

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A Precaution

The above section on food allergy symptoms is not intended to replace or serve as professional medical advice. It is important that you receive a diagnosis from a qualified health professional. The information above is the result of non-clinical research and is not meant to serve as an aid in diagnosis. The information is presented in an effort to inform the public about food allergy issues and encourage those people who believe they may have food allergies to discuss this possibility with their health care provider. Do not use the information on this website as a replacement for professional medical advice or treatment!

Please, keep yourself, your family and your loved ones safe.

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Food Allergy and Long-Term Health

As we said before, most people fall within the range of mild to moderate food allergy reactions.

The symptoms you feel will be uncomfortable, but will not threaten your life. They will, however, threaten your long-term health, especially if you continue to feed your body allergens in the form of specific foods.

You may suffer from many of the symptoms listed in the previous section or you may only recognize a few as happening when you eat a specific food. In either case, it is important to avoid the foods that are producing negative side effects after ingestion.

Some people may question this because they consider their symptoms inconsequential and only mildly bothersome. We, at Nutrispot, beg to differ.

Your body interprets an allergen like a toxin, something that takes energy to react to, to process and to rid itself of. The more allergens you put into your body on a regular basis, the more your body has to fight to keep up with the toxin load. This diverts necessary resources away from building a healthy body and forces your body into a constant state of clean-up. This constant state of clean-up can make you feel ill, tired and worn-out. And, those are only the mild symptoms!

So, be good to yourself. Don't eat foods that you know make you feel bad and learn how to identify other foods that might be making you sick. For more information on what effects food allergies have on your body, read our section on Food Allergies and Your Immune System.

If you think you are suffering from food allergies, seek professional help. See a nutritionist or health care practitioner that specializes in allergies and bring along your food diary to show them what you have discovered about your eating habits and allergic reactions. Providing a food diary to your health care provider can drastically decrease the time it takes to diagnose and treat the condition. For more information on how to create a food diary, click here.