How to Recognize the Signs of Wheat Allergy

Wheat allergy affects many people, so we present to you the most important information related to it in terms of causes, symptoms, and methods of prevention and treatment in the article.

Wheat allergy is widespread among a large number of people, and causes those affected with annoying symptoms and serious complications that greatly affect the health of the digestive system . If you suffer from a wheat allergy, this means that your immune system creates antibodies to the proteins found in wheat.

Therefore, during this article, we will highlight everything related to wheat allergy, in terms of symptoms, causes, methods of diagnosis and treatment.

What is wheat allergy?

It is an abnormal response in the immune system to one of the wheat proteins, resulting in serious complications for human health.

This disease usually affects the small intestine , which is the most important organ in the digestive process and responsible for absorbing food.

Normally, the small intestine is lined with cilia, whose main function is to absorb food from the small intestine and deliver it to the blood so that the body can benefit from it.

If the infected person eats wheat or one of its derivatives, his body produces antibodies that destroy the cilia lining the small intestine, thus preventing the absorption of nutrients necessary for the body and exposing the patient to a deficiency in many vitamins and minerals.

There are four different classes of wheat proteins that cause allergies: albumin, globulin, gliadin, and gluten.

Symptoms of wheat allergy

People with wheat allergy will develop the following symptoms if they eat wheat or inhale wheat flour:

Swelling or irritation in the mouth or throat.

A rash accompanied by itching or swelling of the skin.

Nasal congestion.

Headache.

Itchy eyes or watery eyes.

difficulty breathing .

Cramps, vomiting or nausea.

Diarrhea.

There are other symptoms in cases of severe allergy that are more serious:

Severe difficulty breathing, which may lead to suffocation.

Swallowing problems.

Pale and blue skin color.

Dizziness or severe fainting .

Death in some cases.

Diagnosis of wheat allergy

The doctor may use the following tests to diagnose wheat allergy:

1. Skin examination

The doctor injects wheat protein extracts under the surface of the skin on the affected person's arm or back to ensure that no signs of allergy such as itching, redness, and swelling appear.

2. Blood test

The doctor checks a sample of your blood for antibodies to certain allergens, such as wheat protein.

3. Food testing

You eat specific amounts of foods or capsules containing extracts of foods that are suspected to be the cause of the allergy, and in the meantime, you are placed under observation to monitor the appearance of any allergy symptoms, and of course, you are under the supervision of a doctor.

Risk factors

There are two main factors that play a role in increasing the risk of wheat allergy:

1. Family medical history

If your parents have any food allergies or other allergies such as asthma, your risk of developing a wheat allergy will increase.

2. Age

Wheat allergy affects adults, but it is more common in infants and children whose immune and digestive systems have not yet fully developed. Most children outgrow this type of allergy by the age of 16.

Treatment and prevention of wheat allergy

The treatments used to deal with wheat allergy aim to stop the symptoms of the disease and prevent their appearance in the future, by avoiding eating foods that contain wheat proteins, such as:

the bread.

Cakes and cupcakes.

Cookies of all kinds.

pasta .

Flour, spelled and semolina.

Beer.

Soy sauce.

Some condiments , such as ketchup.

Meat products, such as hot dogs and cold cuts.

Dairy products, such as ice cream.

Medical treatment for wheat allergy

Your doctor may prescribe these treatments for you:

Antihistamines are anti-inflammatory and  anti-allergic.

Bronchodilator injections are taken in emergency cases and under the supervision of a doctor.

Nutritional supplements in some cases to compensate for the deficiency of vitamins and minerals found in wheat.