People with a wheat allergy have an irregular immune system response to at least one of the proteins in wheat. Some common wheat allergy symptoms include hives, asthma, and nasal congestion.
If someone with a wheat allergy has exposure to it, they may experience debilitating symptoms. In some cases, anaphylaxis can occur. This is a life threatening allergic response that requires immediate help.
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Some people may experience an allergic reaction when they inhale wheat flour, while others experience symptoms after consuming it orally. An allergic reaction typically occurs within minutes or hoursTrusted Source of consuming or inhaling wheat.
People who suspect that they may have a wheat allergy should seek immediate medical attention to confirm the diagnosis.
What is a wheat allergy?
Wheat allergies may affect around 0.2% to 1%Trusted Source of people and are more common in children. Someone with a wheat allergy has a specific antibody to one or several wheat proteins.
Children may have a higher risk of a wheat allergy if a parent or caregiver introduces them to wheat after six months of age. However, most children eventually outgrow this allergy, with 65% resolving by the age of 12 years.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), people may also have a higher risk of developing a wheat allergy if a close relative has a wheat allergy, hay fever, or asthma.
Wheat allergy is not the same as celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that Source a person’s digestive tract when they eat gluten.
Gluten can still trigger an irregular autoimmune response in someone with a wheat allergy, but the medical management tips and nutrition guidelines are different for people with celiac disease.
Also, although gluten is a protein in wheat, people with celiac disease will not experience anaphylaxis because celiac disease is not IgE-mediated, meaning it does not cause an immediate response following ingestion or inhalation.
Symptoms of a wheat allergy
Wheat allergies tend to develop in infancy. Potential symptoms of a wheat allergy include:
hay fever or nasal congestion
asthma
atopic dermatitis or eczema
hives, which is an itchy rash with possible swelling
nausea and vomiting
diarrhea or constipation
irritation and possible swelling in the mouth, throat, or both
watery, itchy eyes
bloated stomach
abdominal pain
Anaphylaxis may also occur, leading to:
swelling and tightness in the throat
difficulty swallowing
tightness and pain in the chest
difficulty breathing
a weak pulse
loss of consciousness
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. People need to visit a medical professional for treatment.
How fast can wheat allergy symptoms appear?
People may have a reaction one to three hours after exposure to wheat. Although, many allergic reactions happen within minutes of exposure to the allergen.
Anaphylaxis typically happens very quickly, and severe symptoms may begin within minutes of contact with the allergen.
What can cause or trigger a wheat allergy?
A wheat allergy is an immune system response. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to a neutral or beneficial substance for a pathogen and attacks it.
Allergens are substances that cause no harm to most people unless they have an allergy.
An allergic reaction to wheat involves immunoglobulin antibodies reacting to at least one of the proteins in wheat. Some people may be allergic to only one of the proteins, while others may be allergic to two or more.
Below are some potential triggers of a reaction to wheat:
Wheat and exercise: Some people may have severe symptoms during exercise within four hours of eating wheat, also known as wheat dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
Baker’s asthma: People who work in bakeries or places with uncooked wheat flour may develop baker’s asthma. The allergy occurs due to wheat flour inhalation, not ingestion.
Celiac disease: Celiac is an autoimmune food sensitivity in which the immune system reacts to gluten, causing inflammation and damage in the small intestine. Some people have celiac disease and a wheat allergy.
Africa's wheat dilemma
How do doctors diagnose a wheat allergy?
The following strategies and tests may help a doctor identify a wheat allergy:
Keeping a food diary: To identify the cause of the allergy, a health professional may ask a person to keep a food diary. This will include the types of food in the diet, when the person eats them, and when symptoms occur.
Food challenge testing: This may occur in the hospital or at an allergy clinic for monitoring. A person will consume capsules that contain suspected allergens, starting with small doses and gradually increasing their intake over hours or days.
Skin prick testing: A healthcare professional will place drops of diluted food on the person’s arm or back, piercing the skin through the drop. Any symptoms may indicate a wheat allergy.
Blood testing: This can detect antibodies to specific foods. If immunoglobin E antibodies are present, the person may have a wheat allergy. Blood tests can also look for antibodies that indicate celiac disease.
A doctor may also suggest that the person eliminate all wheat products from their diet. After a few days, they can start reintroducing wheat at intervals.
Tracking symptoms in a food diary after reintroducing foods can help them identify whether or not wheat is responsible for their reaction. A qualified healthcare professional should oversee this process.
Treatment and medications for wheat allergy
Treatment for a wheat allergy may include avoiding wheat proteins. However, this can be challenging, as so many foods contain wheat.
Healthcare professionals may also prescribe certain medications for someone with a wheat allergy.
Antihistamines can lower an individual’s immune activity, eliminating or reducing the symptoms of allergy. People should take these after exposure to wheat. Also, people should only use antihistamines under the guidance of a physician.
Healthcare professionals may also recommend corticosteroids to reduce a person’s symptoms.
Prescribing an epinephrine injection
Epinephrine, or adrenaline, is an emergency treatment that a doctor may prescribe for someone with a risk of anaphylaxis.
People with a high risk of anaphylaxis should carry injectable doses of epinephrine. Adrenaline opens the airways, helping an individual breathe more easily. It also helps restore severely low blood pressure.
A person can administer the medication through an auto-injector pen straight into the skin. One pen contains a single dose of adrenaline, which a person can inject using a concealed, spring-loaded needle. Examples include the EpiPen and the Anapen.
People should always go to the emergency room after using epinephrine for further evaluation.
Common side effects of epinephrine include:
headache
fast heartbeat
anxiety
high blood pressure
heart palpitations
nausea and vomiting
weakness
tremors
sweating
However, if someone is experiencing anaphylaxis, epinephrine can be a lifesaving treatment.
Diet and lifestyle for wheat allergies
Before consuming wheat, it is good practice to check the nutrition label of each food to see if it contains wheat or any other grains with wheat proteins. The manufacturer may have processed certain foods in a facility that also processes wheat.
This can include non-food products. For example, certain cosmetics may also contain wheat proteins that can trigger a reaction.
People can keep track of their symptoms and habits to help them identify and avoid triggers.
Diet
People with a wheat allergy should avoid food that contains wheat, which may include:
most baked products
breakfast cereals
beer, ale, and root beer
coffee substitutes, malted milk, and instant chocolate drink mixes
certain sauces and condiments
wheat- or semolina-based couscous, pasta, and noodles
ice cream and ice cream cones
dumplings
gelatinized starch and modified food starch
hydrolyzed vegetable protein
processed meats, such as hotdogs
meat, crab, and shrimp substitutes
monosodium glutamate
natural flavorings
vegetable gum
Barley, oats, and rye also contain some wheat proteins. A person with a wheat allergy may be allergic not just to wheat but also to rye, oats, and barley.
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