A food allergy is an abnormal immune response triggered by a food that is normally harmless. Reactions range from mild symptoms such as itchiness or hives to severe reactions that can include swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, or dangerously low blood pressure, usually appearing within minutes to a few hours of exposure. When symptoms become severe and affect the whole body, the reaction is classified as anaphylaxis, distinguishing a true food allergy from the more common but distinct conditions of food intolerance and food poisoning.
Facts
Classification
Body SystemLymphatic or Immune System 1 ICD-10 ChapterIII: Diseases of the Blood and Blood-Forming Organs and Certain Disorders Involving the Immune Mechanism 1 Communicable or Non-communicable Transmission Route Connections
Associated With
The discovery of anaphylaxis as a distinct severe allergic reaction underlies the modern understanding of severe food allergy.
Treated By
Antihistamine therapy is standard treatment for mild-to-moderate allergic reaction symptoms in food allergy.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: ICD-10
WikipediaList of chapters, Chapter IIIQuote, List of chapters, Chapter III
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism
2. Wikipedia: Non-communicable disease
WikipediaLead section, transmission-route statement (inferred from disease-category)
NCDs include Parkinson's disease, autoimmune diseases, strokes, heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, and others.
Named examples section
NCDs include Parkinson's disease, autoimmune diseases, strokes, heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, and others.
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