In USA and other developed countries, seafood allergy is the most common cause of food allergy. At least 80 to 85% of true food allergies are caused by seafood, peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish in adults and teenagers.
Incidences of seafood allergy symptoms are higher in countries where the staple diet is seafood; this includes countries like Japan, Scandinavian countries, Spain etc.
Allergic Reaction To Seafood
Seafood generally includes the mollusk group consisting oysters, clams, scallops, mussels, squid etc. Second group is crustacean; it includes prawns, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, crayfish, crabs etc. The third group consists of all common fishes such as salmon, cod, haddock, mackerel, tuna, bonito, sole, shark, halibut etc.
The potent seafood allergen is a muscle protein namely parvalbumin and tropomyosin. In a sensitized individual, the immune system believes this protein in the seafood as a threat to the body and releases chemical histamine which gives various unwanted seafood allergy reactions.
Seafood Allergy Symptoms
Following are symptoms of seafood allergy; they may occur soon after eating seafood. Seafood allergy is usually life-long.
- Urticaria or hives all over the body.
- Itching all over body.
- Vomiting and nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal colic.
- Swelling of lips, eyes, and face.
- Asthma.
- Running nose.
- Atopic eczema.
- Anaphylaxis: anaphylaxis seafood allergic reaction is a leading cause of emergency treatment among food allergies in western countries. It is a life threatening reaction which needs to be treated immediately. The symptoms are acute and include low blood pressure, breathing difficulty, low pulse rate, dizziness, seizures and unconsciousness.
Treatment And Home Remedy For Allergy To Seafood
Seafood Allergy Treatment
- Prevention: avoid eating seafood once you find that you are allergic to it.
- Children suffering from atopic eczema should avoid eating seafood for first five years, and gradually try canned tuna which is the least allergic among fishes.
- Patient, who has suffered anaphylaxis seafood reaction previously, should be very careful and even avoid Caesar salad dressings which contain anchovies.
- Symptomatic treatment your doctor may give is antihistamines to relive the discomfort.
Home Remedy For Sea Food Allergy
- Oat meal bath is an effective home remedy for itching and hives caused after eating sea food.
- If you take five drops of castor oil in vegetable or fruit juice, once or twice in a week in allergies of intestinal tract, it will benefit in the long run.
- A glass of carrot juice or beet root juice is also effective in alleviating the allergic symptoms. Carrots contain anti oxidant properties and it also helps to improve your immune system.
- A paste prepared from rose water and sandalwood when applied on the hives and rash due to sea food allergy gives instant relief from itching.
- In digestive problems due to sea food allergy, eat bananas, boiled potatoes, peeled rice.
- Coriander seeds and ginger tea are also beneficial home remedies in digestive disorders caused due to sea food allergy.