Oral allergy syndrome [OAS] is a recognized but rarely known disease. It is characterized by a burning sensation, mouth pain and swelling, and when you eat certain foods, cross-react with your allergic pollen. Interestingly, the specific foods that cause this reaction are well cross-reactive with certain trees, grass or weed pollen, house dust mites or latex. There are some common food groups that combine some nasal allergies. For example, ragweed allergy usually causes an oral or intestinal reaction after eating melon or banana, but usually does not cause other foods. Birch pollen is often associated with many food reactions, as is latex allergy. Interpretation of these reactions includes the similarity of protein structure and some chemicals in food.
Although this response is well documented in the allergy literature, most doctors [including some allergists and many stomach experts] do not often recognize or diagnose this response. Various allergy sites include a list of common foods associated with certain pollen, dust mites or latex. However, it is difficult to find a comprehensive list that is easy to read or explain. In addition, the name of some pollen or the common link between a group of pollen and a group of foods can be confusing.
In its classic form, OAS should be easy to identify. After eating the food associated with your allergic pollen, you will experience a near burning sensation in the mouth or throat with or without swelling. However, it is widely recognized that in medicine, symptoms do not appear in the "classic" or typical manner of a particular person. Another way doctors teach is that "patients don't read textbooks." As a result, you may experience changes in your reaction, such as swelling or tightening of your throat, burning during swallowing, a lump in your throat, or difficulty swallowing, but you can't relate to what you eat or happen.
You or your doctor may misunderstand your symptoms. People often think that it happens because they have a suffocating spell on chewing, swallowing too fast, or eating or drinking food when it is too hot or too cold. In general, it is assumed that esophageal [swallowing tube] disease, especially acid reflux with esophageal hiatus hernia is the cause. Acid reflux can cause contraction of the esophagus, called a stenosis or ring, which can lead to food stickiness, but this is usually associated with heartburn symptoms or food seizures, and then prompted for an endoscopy or range check. At other times, especially if it occurs in the elderly, it can cause nervous system diseases such as stroke or Parkinson's disease. Sometimes, your doctor thinks your symptoms are caused by a nervous reaction or neurosis, a history known as globus hystericus. The hystericus portion of the word usually falls to a shorter term globus or globus feel these days, especially since it has not been confirmed to be due to mental problems. However, if your complaint is that you feel a lump in your throat and even if the OAS is not considered or excluded, the "assessment" does not seem to appear, then it may be diagnosed.
A rare condition that may be associated with OAS in the gastroenterology [gastric and intestinal diseases] recently is called eosinophilic esophagitis [EE] or allergic esophagitis. It was first described in the pediatric population, but is now known to occur in adults. Food adhesion episodes without heartburn or acid reflux symptoms are classically described in teenage boys and young men, and are associated with the strange appearance of the esophagus on endoscopy [upper illumination of the upper gastrointestinal tract]. The doctor who made the scope saw the esophagus resembling the cat's esophagus. That is, it looks like it has a ring [the cartilage ring in the esophagus of the cat, we don't have it], which is called the "circular esophagus" or the feline of the esophagus. Microscopic signs of allergies are noted in biopsy of the esophagus [which is also often narrowed to cause food adhesion] in such rings or felines. The lining shows many eosinophils, a white blood cell with reddish pink, and is allergenic. These eosinophils release chemicals like histamine that cause swelling, pain and tissue damage.
Food allergies are common in EE, but sometimes finding food allergies through traditional skin tests or IgE blood tests is negative. Treatment is a nasal steroid spray that avoids known food allergens and swallows and is designed for nasal allergies. Although not specifically confirmed, eosinophilic esophagitis [EE] may be a variant of OAS.
There are also eosinophilic gastroenteritis and eosinophilic or allergic colitis, and can be diagnosed by biopsy of the stomach, small intestine and colon, respectively. Allergic colitis is commonly seen in infants who are allergic to milk proteins. It is manifested as abdominal milk, diarrhea, weight loss and bloody diarrhea in infant milk formula, or sometimes breastfed babies whose mother is drinking a lot of milk.
Allergic gastroenteritis occurs in any age group, usually manifested as abdominal pain, with or without intestinal obstruction or perforation; diarrhea; anemia; weight loss; intestinal microscopic hemorrhage is also known as blood in the stool. This type of bleeding can only be detected by a special stool chemistry test called the Fecal Occult Blood Test [FOBT] or the Fecal Guaia Test.
At least some people with food intolerance have no meaning in limited dietary diary information, blood tests, biopsy or allergy tests, and may have some form of American organization. In other words, the presence of known pollen or latex allergy may be susceptible to reaction with foods known to be allergic to the OAS. However, instead of the classic symptoms of oral allergy syndrome, it may cause other stomach and intestinal symptoms and even non-gastrointestinal symptoms.
Support for this concept can be found in a detailed screening of individuals with food intolerance. Those who are known to be allergic to pollen or latex, any known food allergies or intolerance, including gluten intolerance [campria] and casein intolerance, are required to complete a series of symptom assessments and severity assessments. Table, then strictly eliminate the diet. The symptoms were then reassessed and food was reintroduced while monitoring for recurrence.
This type of analysis is the basis of Neopaleo's specific diet. In the near future, www.thefooddoc.com will provide online symptom assessment and food intolerance screening as well as dietary recommendations for individuals. A daily diet symptom diary will also be provided. The simplified table illustrates common foods that may cross-react with a wide range of pollen allergens and latex allergies. Food intolerance is more often considered a common cause of disease and symptoms. Personalized specific dietary recommendations and elimination of dietary tests may be more helpful in discovering any possible connections between what you are eating and how you feel.
Copyright 2006 The Food Doc, LLC. all rights reserved.
Orignal From: Pollen allergy and food sensitivity: oral hypersensitivity syndrome and food intolerance
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