Triggers for garlic allergies lurk in prepared foods, dietary supplements and hair-care products. People who suffer from allergic reactions to this member of the lily family might not immediately recognize the source of their ills. Any form of garlic can cause skin allergy symptoms, while ingesting garlic in foods can add adverse eye, respiratory and digestive side effects, as well as a rare total-body reaction called anaphylaxis.
Features
People who have never had health problems with garlic before can develop a food or contact dermatitis allergy at any time in life, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Allergy symptoms of red, itchy hives can arise from touching garlic or garlic products, or from eating garlic-containing foods. Eating raw garlic or garlic in foods can produce itching and swelling in the eyes and mouth, and a runny or stuffy nose. Garlic allergies can also cause abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
Warning
In occasional cases, anaphylaxis produces abrupt symptoms that can get worse in minutes or seconds, according to the National Institutes of Health. Wheezing, difficulty breathing and an abnormal pulse mark the first signs. Patients should call 911 immediately because they will not be able to do so when dizziness and incapacitates them.
Function
Direct contact with garlic, garlic juice or garlic-containing products will limit skin allergy symptoms to the area that touched the substance, the UM Medical Center notes. Skin irritation might not occur for up to two days. The symptoms of allergic reactions to ingested garlic affect the body at the rate that the garlic allergens move through the bloodstream and digestive tract. MedlinePlus, a medical information resource established by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, reports that mouth, eye and nasal symptoms might begin right away, while gastrointestinal upset can take an hour or more to begin. Anaphylaxis can occur at any time after eating foods with garlic in them.
Effects
The UM Medical Center points out that rashes from contact allergic reactions to these plants can linger for two weeks or longer. Food allergy symptoms usually pass as soon as the allergens exit the digestive system. Anaphylaxis can have serious immediate effects, including respiratory and cardiac arrest and death.
Prevention
People with garlic allergies can also have allergic reactions to other plants in the allium genus, including onions, chives, leeks and shallots. Individuals should seek a doctor's help in safely identifying any food allergens that affect their health. The UM Medical Center reports that garlic allergies can be detected through skin tests, blood tests and medically supervised diets.
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