You may be surprised to know that almost 20 million people in the United States have food allergies, of which 16 million are adults and 4 million are children.
Food allergies most commonly develop in babies and children because their immune systems are still developing. But allergies can happen at any age; there is no specific age limit for them.
The symptoms of allergies can range from mild to severe. If they are not treated properly, then some allergic reactions can become life-threatening.
In this blog, we will learn some steps you can take if you or your loved one is experiencing symptoms and whether urgent care can help you fight food allergies.
Can Urgent Care Really Help If You’re Suffering From Allergic Reaction Right Now?
Suppose you ate an omelette for breakfast. And a few minutes or hours, you feel your skin is red and itchy.
It has never happened to you before. And you’re anxious about what to do next! ‘Should I wait or see a doctor?’ you’re thinking.
If you’re in the same situation, urgent care can help you instantly! Whether it is you or your child, suffering from an allergic reaction due to any food, you can simply walk into a nearby urgent care clinic and leave the rest to the healthcare provider.
They can treat and help prevent mild symptoms from getting worse. However, if your symptoms do not improve, they may refer you to an allergist or immunologist for evaluation.
What Causes An Allergic Reaction From Food?
You may have an allergic reaction to a specific food when your immune system recognizes some food particles or proteins as a danger and starts producing antibodies.
It’s quite remarkable to see that almost 160 foods are identified to cause food allergic reactions in people, as reported by the FDA.
However, there are only nine foods that are known to cause 90% of allergies in the United States. These are:
- Milk and dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Crustacean shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Wheat
- Soybean
- Sesame
Remember, a person can be allergic to more than one type of food. Therefore, it is important to identify the triggers that cause an immune response and know the right steps to take.
What Are The Common Symptoms Of Allergic Reactions From Food?
The symptoms of allergic food reactions can vary from person to person. Some may experience mild to moderate symptoms for minutes or hours, whereas others may have severe reactions.
If you have taken a certain food and, after a while, you experience the following symptoms, you may be suffering from an allergic food reaction.
- Hives or skin rash
- Itching on skin and mouth
- Swelling of the lips and eyelids
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
In case you experience any of these symptoms for the first time, it is best to get help from a nearby healthcare provider to know what to do next.
Once you’re familiar with your symptoms and know how to manage them, you can reach out to your doctor if the symptoms become severe or persistent.
When To Go To Urgent Care For An Allergic Reaction?
If you’re unsure when to visit an urgent care clinic, here are a few situations that can help you decide.
- If you or your child suffers from an allergic reaction for the first time and feel confused about what to do next.
- You’re suffering from mild to moderate symptoms which are not improving.
- You want help with using emergency medications like epinephrine autoinjectors at home.
- You want to know how you can prevent food allergies in the future.
- You feel confused about whether you’ll completely recover or not.
If you relate to any of the above, Family Urgent Care can help you out. Whether you need urgent treatment or perhaps counseling on how to live a better lifestyle with food allergies, you can contact our providers right away.
When To Visit The Emergency Room For Allergic Food Reaction?
If you or anyone around you is having difficulty breathing or feels dizzy or confused after taking a certain food, you need to call 911 and take the person to an emergency care facility.
It might be an anaphylactic reaction which is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction in which the immune system in your body releases a number of chemicals that can cause the body to go into shock.
The symptoms of anaphylactic shock often occur together:
- Hives and skin rash
- Persistent vomiting and nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Unconsciousness or faint
- Drop in blood pressure and increased heart rate.
With emergency treatment, most people can have a full recovery depending on the severity of the reaction and their overall health.
What Can You Expect At Family Urgent Care When You Walk Into The Clinic?
If you or your loved one is experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and need urgent treatment right now, our healthcare providers act quickly and give you urgent treatment.
Once you start feeling better, the doctor takes your medical history to identify which food triggered the allergic reaction. Next, they prescribe medicines to help manage your symptoms at home and advise you to take over-the-counter creams or lotions for skin rash and itchiness, if any.
Not to mention. Family Urgent Care accepts all kinds of insurance plans, ensuring that every patient should get immediate care without worrying about insurance.
You can even book an online video or phone appointment from home if you can’t visit our clinic physically. So, don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions or concerns about food allergies.
FAQs – Allergic Food Reaction To Seek Help From Urgent Care
1. How to stop an allergic food reaction at home?
If you have eaten the trigger food by mistake and are looking for ways to stop the mild reactions, take antihistamines if available. You can even sip ginger or green tea to alleviate the discomfort. However, mild symptoms can turn into severe reactions, therefore, if the symptoms are persistent, contact your health provider right away.
2. How to get rid of food allergy rash?
Allergic rash can be pretty annoying at times! You can get rid of it by taking oral antihistamines, using anti-itching creams, and avoiding scratching. Moreover, a cool compress can also help reduce swelling, itching and redness.
3. How long will food allergic reactions last?
It depends on the severity and type of reaction; it can last for minutes to days. Sometimes it takes a few hours to a few days, and then it may naturally disappear by itself. However, if the symptoms are persistent and don’t improve, you need to contact your healthcare provider.
