Allergy to tomatoes
Nowadays, food allergy is seen as the most common disease in the world. There is a thought that an allergy to tomatoes is due to the fact that they contain a red pigment, which is the reason for the development of such a reaction in humans.
Causes of the allergies to tomatoes
This type of allergy is called nutritional. It arises because of an allergic reaction of a person to one of the substances in tomatoes - anthocyanin or lycopene. But it should also be understood that sometimes there are cases of intolerance of various chemical additives and other harmful ingredients that fall into tomatoes because of their growing in production - these are nutritional supplements nitrates, various dyes and preservatives. It should be noted that while the tomatoes themselves can be transferred perfectly normally.
Symptoms of the allergies to tomatoes
Symptoms of hypersensitivity to tomatoes are very similar to those of any other food intolerance. They can appear as after 1-1,5 hours after eating an allergen, and only after a few days.
The most common symptoms of allergy to tomatoes are the following:
- Pain in the stomach, diarrhea and vomiting with nausea;
- Spasms of the bronchi, the emergence of conjunctivitis, severe attacks of bronchial asthma, as well as an intact rhinitis;
- Decrease of blood pressure;
- Mucous (especially the throat and lips), as well as the skin begins to swell, there are large blisters, hives, and also severe itching. The skin becomes dry to the touch and rough;
- Occasionally, an allergy can cause a condition of anaphylaxis;
- A blood test reveals an increased concentration of immunoglobulin E in the serum - this factor indicates that the allergy has become severe. When this indicator has an average level, it means that the allergy is in a latent form.
Allergy to yellow tomatoes
Usually orange or yellow tomatoes do not cause intolerance, since they almost do not have an allergen that contains many fruits, vegetables and berries of red color - anthocyanin.
Allergy to Pollen Tomato
An allergy to a pollen tomato sometimes occurs during work in a greenhouse or as a result of planting seedlings in a city apartment. In this case, there is a high saturation of the allergen in the air of a small, rarely ventilated room.
Allergy to baby tomatoes
Allergy to tomatoes in a child can manifest immediately after he first uses this vegetable. Because children, unlike adults, can have various complications, before giving their child tomatoes for the first time, parents should discuss this matter with the pediatrician.
Complications and consequences
If you do not start to treat allergies in time, over time, it can first be transformed into bronchial asthma in a chronic form or allergic dermatitis. And later, after 3 years, in addition to intolerance to tomatoes, there will also be intolerance to wool, pollen from plants, cosmetics, ordinary dust and other irritants.
Diagnostics of the allergies to tomatoes
Application test for the detection of allergic intolerance, through which you can determine whether a person has increased sensitivity to tomatoes. To conduct the test, you need to lubricate the applicator with a sample of the product (tomato), then fix it on the back of the patient for 1-2 days. If on the open areas of the skin there was irritation, this indicates the existence of intolerance.
A test-prick in which allergy is detected in the following way: some food containing the allergen is placed under the skin using a sterile needle. If later a person has eczema, irritation or blisters - this will confirm the presence of allergies.
Analyzes
Allergy to tomatoes is most accurately detected by a blood test. The human body after exposure to the allergen begins to produce IgE - the so-called antibodies of immunoglobulin E, and the analysis allows you to check the presence of these substances in the blood. With a positive test result, it is safe to say that a person suffers from an allergy to tomatoes.
Differential diagnosis
Food allergy should be differentiated with poisoning, mental disorders, metabolic disorders, diseases and anomalies of the development of the gastrointestinal tract, infections. In addition, differential diagnosis should be performed with the state of immunodeficiency, endocrine diseases, IBS, drug overdose, disaccharidase deficiency, endocrine disruption of the pancreas, and gluten enteropathy, etc.
Treatment of the allergies to tomatoes
Eliminate allergy to tomatoes can be done with a special diet. Like any other food intolerance, it should be treated by eliminating the allergen from the food ration. To do this, stop eating tomatoes and any of its derivatives - ketchup, any red sauces, and tomato juices. In addition, you should always and with great care to study the composition of all the dishes that you are going to use. In addition, since it is known that antigens, which are the causative factors of an allergy, can be eliminated by heat treatment, you should try to use cooked instead of fresh vegetables.
Medications
In the process of drug therapy, the following medicines can be used:
Antihistamines that help improve the condition, reducing the strength of symptoms. In general, doctors prescribe such drugs: Dimebon and Dimethinen, as well as Difigidramine and Doxylamine; besides this, Kestin and Clemastin, Mebrogrolin, Loratadin and Meklosin. Prometazine, Sephifenadine and Telfast may also be prescribed, as well as Fexofenadine; Cetirizine, Hifenadine and Cyproheptadine.
You can consume medicines only with the appointment of a doctor. The treatment course lasts approximately 2-3 weeks.
Glucocorticoids, which remove inflammation. Among such preparations are Hydrocortisone, Betamethasone, Triamcinolone, and also Fluticasone. In addition, prednisolone, dexamethasone and acetonide fluocinolone may be prescribed.
Epinephrine, which is administered intramuscularly. With the help of this drug relax the muscles of the respiratory tract, thereby facilitating the disturbed breathing. It is used if there is a risk of anaphylaxis.
The bronchodilator, which helps remove the symptoms of bronchial asthma.
Drugs that eliminate diarrhea: Attapulgite, as well as lignin hydrolyzed.
The drug against vomiting Meklosin.
Corticosteroids, which are prescribed only for allergies in severe form. They need to be consumed exclusively by short courses, because long-term use can cause serious complications.
Serotonergic drug Cyproheptadine.
Sorbents, among them: Attapulgite, Calcium Carbonate, Hydrolytic Lignin, Lactofiltrum, and also Filtrum. In addition, appoint Enterosgel and Eubikor.
The process of desensitization is carried out, at which Zaditen (Ketotifen) is taken for 1.5-3 months - 1 mg 2 r. / Day.
Alternative treatment and herbal treatment
Methods of alternative allergy treatment:
- Recipe number 1. Decoction of herbs. Among the ingredients of 1.5 tablespoons. Valerian root and string, as well as 1 tbsp. Thyme, oregano, violet leaves, nettle and chamomile, licorice root and horsetail grass.
Prepare the tincture as follows: take 2 tablespoons. Chopped herbs and pour them 0.5 liters of boiling water. Boil this broth for 5 minutes, then drain. You need to use tincture for 0.5 stack. Four times a day.
- Recipe number 2. Tincture that helps to remove allergens. Among the ingredients of 1 tbsp. Crust of buckthorn, licorice root, burdock root and dandelion, as well as fennel fruits.
Preparation of tincture: cut the ingredients and mix, then cover 5 tbsp. Mixture in a thermos bottle. Next, the broth should be infused for 12 hours, and then it should be filtered through a sieve. You need to use a decoction of 0.5 cup. Before meals (for 30 minutes). Repeat reception is necessary until the moment when all the symptoms of the disease disappear.
- Recipe number 3. Herbal tea from the turn. Among the components: 1.5 stack. Boiling water and 1 tbsp. Succession.
Preparation: pour the cut into boiling water and leave to infuse for 20 minutes, then strain through a sieve. You need to drink a drink throughout the day, replacing them with simple tea or coffee. Remember that for each new time you need to brew a fresh portion of herbs.
- Recipe number 4. A collection that helps to eliminate food allergy. Among the ingredients: 5 parts of herbs, sage leaves and wheatgrass root, 10 parts of the calyx color, 3 parts of the root of elecampane, and 2 parts of the licorice root.
Prepare the tincture in this way: grind through the grinder the tincture components, 1 tbsp. The resulting mixture is poured into a thermos, then pour it with boiling water (250 g). Next, leave the broth for 8 hours, and then strain through a sieve. Drink tincture you need four times a day, before eating.
Prevention
To prevent the occurrence of allergies it is necessary to drink a complex of micro and macro elements, as well as vitamins, which has a restorative effect. At the heart of the complex are drugs containing calcium. Sometimes enterosgel can be used to purify the body. These procedures should be performed only under the supervision of the attending physician.
Medical expert editor
Portnov Alexey Alexandrovich
Education: Kiev National Medical University. A.A. Bogomolets, Specialty - "General Medicine"
Other articles on the topic
The latest research relating Allergy to tomatoes