Allergy to Peanuts Symptoms
A peanut allergy is a reaction that occurs when your body mistakenly identifies peanuts as harmful substances. When you eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts, your immune system overreacts and can cause a serious, even life-threatening response.
It is important to know that peanut allergy is the most common cause of death among food allergies. Allergy to peanut symptoms affect approximately 1.3% of the general population and 7% of brothers and sisters of persons with the allergy.
If you have a mild reaction, your allergy to peanut symptoms might include the following:
| Hives | Skin redness or swelling |
| Runny or stuffy nose | Itching or tingling of the mouth or throat |
| Nausea and vomiting | Diarrhea |
| Wheezing | Tightness of the chest |
If you have a severe reaction, your allergy to peanut symptoms might be related to anaphylaxis which is exhibited by the following:
| Constriction of airways | Rapid pulse |
| Dizziness | Lightheadedness |
| Swelling of the throat | Severe drop in blood pressure (shock) |
As many as one-third of peanut-sensitive people have severe reactions and require immediate treatment. Allergy Specialists have the ability to diagnose severe cases and, when appropriate, prescribe medication that can be injected immediately to prevent fatal or near fatal reactions.
Avoidance is the best course of action to prevent allergy to peanut symptoms. This can be a true challenge with peanuts because they are used so widely in foods and in products other than foods. If you have allergy to peanut symptoms you may also want to avoid tree nuts (e.g. pecans, walnuts, etc.) because they may have been processed with peanuts.
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Allergy to peanut symptoms must be taken seriously because they can become worse with each exposure. If you or a loved one have allergy to peanut symptoms, you should seek professional medical advice from a Board Certified/Eligible Allergy specialist.
If you or a family member are allergic to peanuts, you should seek professional medical advice from a Board Certified/Eligible Allergy specialist. If you live in the State of Virginia, consider contacting Richmond Allergy and Asthma Specialists at 1-804-285-7420, or schedule an appointment online. Our specialists are Board Certified/Eligible, they accept referrals from other medical professionals, and the practice does have a certified vaccine laboratory onsite.
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