If you experience red bumps all over your body from a food allergy, you are experiencing allergic dermatitis, or eczema. A common symptom of a food allergy is skin inflammation that leads to rashes. Keep a written log of the foods you eat and which ones cause red bumps to develop over your body. Make an appointment with your doctor and discuss the various foods and symptoms you're experiencing.
Food Allergy
Food allergies typically affect people younger than 3, according to MayoClinic.com, but could affect adults. The most common foods that cause an allergic reaction are: soy, nuts, peanuts, wheat, eggs, milk and fish. A food allergy can cause minor to severe allergic reaction symptoms, based on the person. There is no cure for a food allergy, but the condition is manageable.
Cause
A food allergy occurs when your body mistakes the proteins in certain foods as unsafe. The immune system overreacts to the food proteins and begins to build a defense against them. Antibodies and histamine are created to ward off the proteins and causes a chain-reaction in the body that leads to common allergy symptoms, according to MedlinePlus. Histamine is chemical in the body that guards it from infection. Excessive amounts of histamine causes inflammation in soft tissue throughout the body, such as the skin.
Allergic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a common skin rash condition after eating a food that you're allergic to. Allergic dermatitis appears as pimple-like blisters or bumps all over the body. They are extremely itchy and can weep and crust over if scratched. Eczema can form thick, leathery skin that cracks easily after the bumps subside. Eczema typically develops on the face, the back of the legs or arms, but can form anywhere.
Other Symptoms
Allergic dermatitis as a result of a food allergy will be accompanied with other symptoms. These symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, nasal congestion, watery eyes, postnasal drip, sinus pressure pain and a runny nose. Chest congestion accompanied by a drop in blood pressure, swelling in the lips or dizziness, may be a sign of anaphylactic shock, or a severe allergic reaction. Call for emergency medical care if these symptoms develop.
Treatment
Allergic dermatitis after eating caused by a food allergy is best treated by identifying the allergen and avoiding it, according to MayoClinic.com. If you accidentally consume a food you're allergic to, call you doctor. Your doctor may recommend taking an antihistamine or prescribe a corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation and itchiness of the skin. If you experience anaphylactic shock, you may need an epinephrine injection or emergency medical care.
