An irrational approach to the use of various sweets threatens not only with the appearance of excess weight, but also with food allergies. As a rule, it is common among children, but often occurs in adults. The symptoms of the disease are pronounced, up to anaphylactic shock, and therefore assistance to the victim should be provided immediately.
Reasons
In practice, it is extremely difficult to identify the true allergen. The widespread opinion that sugar can serve as a factor in the appearance of an undesirable reaction is erroneous. It is a natural product and is not capable of causing allergies. But there is one caveat: sugar enhances the effect of a substance that can contribute to the reaction. Often they are animal protein, various additives and flavors. As for honey, the "culprit" is the pollen contained in it.
Precise allergen detectionis hampered by the fact that the reaction does not appear immediately, but after a certain period of time.
Development mechanism
After a foreign substance has entered the human body, the protective system begins to secrete antibodies. With a predisposition to sweet allergies in adults and children, the process of fermentation of the undigested product starts, the intensity of which is multiplied by sucrose. Thus, compounds designed to prevent the occurrence of an unwanted reaction do not cope.
As a result, toxic substances are released, which begin to be absorbed into the blood. After some time, the first symptoms of an allergy to sweets appear. In adults, it is very rare, but it happens that some fruits are the source of a foreign compound.
How does it manifest?
Sweet allergy in adults has the following symptoms:
- Rash with predominant localization in the following areas: abdomen, neck, buttocks, cheeks. Every time she appears in the same places. The nature of the rash can be varied: from small redness to weeping inflamed areas. A photo of a symptom of a sweet allergy in an adult is presented above.
- Often unbearable itching and burning joins the rashes. But their intensity may not always be pronounced.
- Rarely, urticaria appears as an accompanying symptom. It is a large spots on which are flat blisters.
- Respiratory manifestations: runny nose,frequent sneezing.
- From the visual system observed: redness, tearing. Edema does not develop.
- Cough. It is one of the dangerous signs, because it can lead to bronchospasm. Mild asthma attacks are often disturbing.
- The general condition worsens: it starts to shiver, the body temperature may slightly increase, nausea, weakness, headache occur. All these signs are the result of intoxication of the body.
- Inflammation of the oral mucosa, including the lips. What does a sweet allergy look like in adults in this case? It manifests itself in the form of redness, often, the affected areas swell strongly. The danger lies in the fact that this symptom can provoke the appearance of Quincke's edema. These are already serious symptoms of the disease. Below is a photo of a sweet allergy in adults, manifested by Quincke's edema.
- Rarely, but a pathological condition develops that poses a serious threat to life - anaphylactic shock.
Due to the likelihood of dangerous symptoms, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient's condition. At the slightest deterioration, you should call an ambulance or go to a medical facility.
Diagnosis
In order to verify the presence of a food allergy to sweets, blood is taken from an adult for analysis.
The more common and informative way is to conduct skin tests. Its essence is as follows: on the selected sitethe doctor makes small scratches on the patient's body, which are subsequently treated with substances that allegedly caused the allergy. In one session, it is possible to test the body with a dozen reagents. After a certain time, a reaction appears in the form of redness or a rash, due to which the true allergen is revealed. In this way, the process of identifying the cause of an allergy to sweets in an adult takes place. At the end of the test, the person is also given recommendations indicating all substances that should not be in the composition of the products presented in his diet.
The way in which the allergen is detected by elimination is simple, but not always reliable. It also takes quite a long time.
Treatment
The primary task is to identify the substance causing the unwanted reaction.
Further, the treatment of sweet allergy in adults involves the following steps:
- Prescribing drugs that have a detrimental effect on a foreign compound. They are selected individually, taking into account the severity of symptoms, age and existing diseases.
- Taking antihistamines, using external agents. Their task is to improve the condition and prevent the spread of allergies. Ointments and creams effectively relieve itching, burning and swelling.
- Selection of enterosorbents. Their reception is obligatory in any case. They accelerate the process of excretion from the body of toxic compounds absorbed into the blood as a result of fermentation.undigested food.
- Strengthening the body's defenses. At this stage, taking medication is not necessary. You can support immunity with the help of methods used in alternative medicine - infusions, decoctions, etc.
- Prescribing hormonal medications. It is performed only in case of ineffectiveness of previously prescribed drugs. Therapy with these drugs is carried out in a hospital.
- Dieting. At the time of treatment of allergies to sweets in adults, the diet should change. It is necessary to exclude from it not only honey, flour and confectionery products, but also chicken eggs, fruits and vegetables of red and orange color, nuts, sweet carbonated drinks. In addition to them, it is forbidden to use products that contain artificial additives, flavors and dyes. The list can be expanded after consultation with the attending physician. The diet is designed in such a way that the occurrence of an undesirable reaction is excluded, and the body is not deprived of essential nutrients.
Unconventional treatments
If you use exclusively folk ways to get rid of allergies to sweets in adults, it will not do any good. On the contrary, it will develop further. In addition, all medicinal herbs are also potential allergens and can only worsen the condition.
Unconventional treatments can be used as an auxiliary external remedy to relieve symptoms,but only with the permission of a doctor.
Preventive measures
In order to reduce the likelihood of allergies to flour and confectionery products, it is important to follow the following rules:
- Eat foods that are recommended by a doctor, and those that do not contain artificial additives, preservatives, dyes, flavors, etc. These chemical compounds can provoke other he alth problems.
- Reconsider lifestyle: give up bad habits, give a special place to physical activity in the daily routine.
- Strengthen the body's defense system: move more, eat he althy food, take vitamin complexes, doctor-approved herbal decoctions.
In addition, if a person has a predisposition to developing a food allergy to sweets (for example, the next of kin suffers from it), it is advisable to get an allergen test in order to avoid eating potentially dangerous foods in the future.
Who should I contact?
At the first symptoms of an allergy, it is recommended to seek help from a therapist. He will examine the patient, exclude other possible diseases, give a referral to an allergist for a skin test, and draw up an effective treatment regimen. It is important to strictly adhere to it and not neglect repeated appointments - the doctor will objectively assess the current condition of the patient and prescribe hormone-containing drugs if the prescribed therapy did not bring visibleresults.
If allergy symptoms develop rapidly, there is a suffocating cough, swelling, weeping inflammation, and other alarm signals, you should immediately call an ambulance.
In conclusion
As a rule, children are allergic to sweets, but no adult is immune from it. You should not let the disease take its course - it is by no means harmless and can have the most sad consequences.
