With fall comes seasonal allergies for many. Unfortunately, there are a handful of allergies that can actually worsen when certain types of foods are consumed. People who are affected and have reactions to specific foods, inhalants, or other substances are actually more likely to develop an allergy to others, which is known as allergic cross-reactivity. It should be noted that these reactions can vary from being very light and hardly noticeable to heavy. Allergies are caused by the immune system’s reactions to numerous sources, including plants, moulds, latex, pollen, animal products, moulds, and certain medicines. The reason that people experience cross-reactions is that there are structural similarities between proteins, such as pollens and foods. A fairly shocking statistic, roughly 70% of individuals with food allergies also experience reactions to other allergies.
Most Common Allergic Cross-Reactions
Keep in mind that allergies affect multiple organs, including the eyes, skin, nervous, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. Your ENT doctor will carefully observe your reaction patterns as well as your history in order to pinpoint the specific patterns associated between allergies.
Below you will find a list of the most common cross-reactions. Please keep in mind that this list is far from exhaustive and you should contact your local ENT doctor to learn more about cross-reactions.
Common Cross-Reactions
Between pollen and food:
- Birch pollen: Apple, carrot, celery, pear, tomato, cherry, tree nuts
- Mugwort pollen (weeds): Carrot, celery, aniseed, peach
- Ragweed pollen: Melon, cucumber, banana, sunflower
- Timothy grass: Apple, tomato, celery, corn, bell pepper, paprika
Between different foods:
- Shrimp, lobster, and crab
- Peanut and lupine
- Tree nuts, pistachio, and cashew
- Frequent cross-reactions between salt and freshwater fish
- Seeds, such as sesame, mustard, and sunflower
- Peach and melon
Symptoms
As mentioned, the level of symptoms associated with allergic cross-reactions can vary quite significantly. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Nausea or vomiting
- Tingling, swelling, or itching of the mouth, tongue, and throat
- Skin reactions, such as itching, rash, or swelling
- Respiratory problems, such as runny nose, sinusitis, asthma, or bronchitis
If you are someone who suffers from seasonal or year-round allergies and would like to learn more about allergic cross-reactions, please contact Central Park today. Our ENT doctors will work with you one-on-one to determine whether or not you are suffering from cross-reactions, and if so, we will come up with a treatment plan that fits your needs.