Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy distinct from nut allergies. It is a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction to dietary substances from peanuts causing an overreaction of the immune system, which in a small percentage of people may lead to severe physical symptoms.

Peanut allergy can be a serious condition and affects approximately three million Americans, or about one percent of the population. The most severe peanut allergies can result in anaphylaxis, an emergency situation requiring immediate attention and treatment with epinephrine. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that peanut allergy is the most common cause of food-related death.

This allergy is usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods that may contain whole peanuts or peanut particles and/or oils.

The exact causes of peanut allergy are not known. A 2003 study found no link to maternal exposure to peanuts during pregnancy or during breast-feeding, though the data showed a linkage to the amount of time a child is breastfed. The same study indicated that exposure to soy milk or soy products was correlated with peanut allergies. However, an analysis of a larger group in Australia found no linkage to consumption of soy milk, and that the appearance of linkage is likely due to preference to using soy milk among families with known milk allergies.

It’s possible that exposure to peanut oils in lotions may be implicated with development of the allergy. Another hypothes for the increase in peanut allergies (and other immune and auto-immune disorders) in recent decades is the hygiene hypothesis.

Some symptoms of peanut allergy include:

Peanut allergy can be characterized by more severe symptoms, such as gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory symptoms, than other food allergies and by a high rate of symptoms on minimal contact.

Potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shock in response to ingestion of peanuts can be experienced by severe peanut allergy sufferers. An aphylactic shock is an allergic reaction in which the release of histamine causes swelling, difficulty in breathing, heart failure, circulatory collapse, and sometimes death.

As many as one-third of peanut-sensitive patients have severe reactions, such as fatal and near-fatal anaphylaxis.

There is no cure for peanut allergy and no therapies that eliminate or reduce the severity of peanut allergy. Current treatments only address the symptoms of an allergic reaction once it has taken place. Hence, strict avoidance of peanut and peanut-ingredients is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction.

Reactions can begin and proceed rapidly, in extreme cases proving fatal within minutes. Severe sufferers must use epinephrine (i.e. adrenaline) to help prevent anaphylactic shock. If administered in time, an injection of epinephrine may reverse the anaphylactic condition by quickly constricting blood vessels, increasing the heart rate, stopping swelling around the face and throat, and relaxing muscles in the lungs. Once administered, immediate medical follow-up is required.

I have over a long period, developed some knowledge in the areas of Food Allergens and Intolerances, and micro biology including bacteria and fungi. Please feel free to visit our site: remedies for allergies

Our intention is to give to sufferers an increased knowledge of the subject, leading to a better understanding and an ability to evaluate the various pathways available towards relief.

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