Testing by a doctor is the best way to determine if someone is allergic to apples. Symptoms of apple allergies include oral allergy syndrome, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, wheezing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Cooking denatures proteins leading to allergic reactions. An allergy specialist may recommend a prick test or challenge test to confirm allergies and provide prompt treatment if severe symptoms occur.
Symptoms of food allergies can manifest themselves in several ways. However, the best way to determine if someone is allergic to apples is to have tests performed by a doctor or other health care professional. Testing for related and common allergens can be done at the same time. An allergy specialist is usually needed to evaluate the patient and supervise the test. Specialist referrals are available from general practitioners.
Many apple allergy sufferers experience what is known as oral allergy syndrome. When they eat fresh apples or touch their mouths after handling raw apples, they experience inflammation, swelling, and itching in the mouth and throat. Individuals with oral allergy syndrome may also react to peaches, carrots, tree nuts, and a number of other foods that share the proteins found in raw apples.
Other people may develop a runny nose, watery eyes, hives, wheezing, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting when they eat fresh apples. These symptoms reflect allergic reactions occurring elsewhere in the body. As with people who have oral allergy syndrome, people allergic to apples are usually allergic to related fruits and vegetables as well.
Apple allergies only involve raw fresh fruit. Cooking denatures proteins leading to allergic reactions. This can make narrowing down an allergy to apples much easier, as long as people are careful to notice when allergy symptoms occur. Keeping a food diary can help people identify common triggers related to allergic responses and help them determine whether or not they are allergic to apples.
An allergy specialist usually interviews a patient to gather information that will be used to narrow down potential allergens. People with apple allergies may also have hay fever and other seasonal allergies. The allergy specialist may recommend a prick test in which small amounts of the allergen are introduced through the skin and the skin is monitored for reactions. This test will confirm that a patient is allergic to apples and can be used again later to see if a patient has grown out of an allergy, which is sometimes the case.
Tracking down allergens can be a challenge. Another tactic used by some specialists is a challenge test, in which a patient is exposed to small amounts of potential allergens to see how she responds. Elimination diets, where the patient’s diet is restricted and items are added slowly, are another approach. It is important to be supervised for this type of allergy testing so that prompt treatment can be provided if severe symptoms such as anaphylactic shock occur.
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