No one likes being nauseous, especially after eating. If you suspect that your constant nausea is related to a food allergy, make an appointment with your doctor for a clinical diagnosis. Constant nausea from a food allergy is possible if you continually ingest the food that’s triggering the reaction. Most food allergy symptoms subside once the allergen is expelled from the body. Chronic nausea may be a sign of a more serious condition.
Food Allergies
Food allergies may not be as common as you think. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that about 2 percent of the American adult population are diagnosed with a food allergy. A genuine food allergy requires testing to identify the presence of immunoglobulin E antibodies in the blood after exposure to a particular food. These IgE antibodies are allergy-specific agents that fight off the proteins that the immune system mistakenly identifies as dangerous, according to MayoClinic.com. If these antibodies are not identified during allergy testing, your symptoms are not the result of an allergic reaction.
Nausea
Nausea is a queasy feeling in your stomach that makes you want to vomit. Nausea and vomiting are a complicated action of communication between the stomach and the brain. Nausea is one of the ways the human body protects itself from harmful substances. MedlinePlus explains that the same way your nose sneezes to expel irritants, your stomach will become nauseous to induce vomiting to expel an unwanted substance. While food allergies are a common cause of nausea, you would have to consistently ingest the allergen for this symptom to remain. Once the allergen is identified and removed from you diet, your symptoms should subside.
Common Foods
Some highly allergic foods may be found in a wide range of products, making it difficult to identify and avoid. For example, milk, soy, wheat and eggs are used in many baked goods, sauces and prepackaged foods. Other highly allergic foods include fish, tree nuts, peanuts, tomatoes, pineapple, strawberries and other tropical fruits, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you’ve been diagnosed with a common food allergy, read the ingredients on the product label to identify allergens before ingesting the contents.
Testing and Treatment
Because constant nausea may be the result of a more serious medical condition, your doctor will recommend allergy testing. Allergy tests use a patch of your skin and blood tests to identify the presence of IgE antibodies. Food allergies have no cure. Implementing an elimination diet is the most effective way to prevent and manage your allergies.
