All you need to know about egg allergy

Eggs, known for their high protein content, can lead to some severe form of allergy among certain susceptible people. Those allergic to eggs exhibit a hypersensitivity reaction to the yolk of the egg or the white. When a person is allergic to protein present in the egg yolk then he/she may eat egg whites without displaying egg allergy symptoms and vice versa. However, some people have been found to be allergic to both egg whites as well as egg yolk. Such people would have to avoid eating egg entirely. Evidence has suggested that a small percentage of people who have egg allergy are also allergic to chicken and certain other poultry meat. It has also been found that breast milk that contains egg proteins can also elicit an allergic reaction in breast fed infants.

This form of food allergy is generally seen among children and it is an early onset allergy. Most children with egg allergy, however, have been found to outgrow this allergy after the age of five while some of them remain allergic to eggs through out their lifetime.

The best form of treatment for egg allergy is to completely avoid eating eggs and any form of food that could contain eggs. Egg less variants of popular food, even cakes, are now the popular choice for people with egg allergies. People with egg allergies should check the ingredients of a food product before purchase as this will avoid any chance of egg allergy. Recent laws have made it mandatory for manufacturers to indicate the presence of any form of egg in processed food products in simple terms so as to make it easy for the layman. It is necessary to also include facts like the presence of eggs in the facility where the food product was packaged. Such information would help people avoid any food product that could be contaminated with egg proteins of any form.

Egg allergy symptoms may be severe or mild depending upon the intensity of reaction elicited and the level of allergy in the person. The most common egg allergy symptoms are gastro intestinal problems that could lead to vomiting and cramps. Other egg allergy symptoms include hives, rhinitis and allergic asthma. Extreme cases of egg allergy could lead to anaphylaxis and the treatment would include the injection of epinephrine. Anaphylactic shock is characterized by shock and constriction of airways that could result in a lump in the throat. A severe drop in the blood pressure is noticed and sometimes even loss of consciousness. This type of severe egg allergy symptom would require hospitalization and emergency care.

Symptoms of egg allergy are evident within minutes to a few hours of consuming egg or any food product that is contaminated with egg. It is essential to get medical help in the event of any sign of egg allergy as this condition would require a thorough check up at the doctor's clinic that will help ascertain the exact cause of allergy and thereby aid in avoiding the particular food. Though the most common form of egg allergy is gastrointestinal abnormalities, the person should subjected to close medical examination even if the symptoms appear mild.

Egg allergies are caused among certain people as their immune system wrongly recognizes certain proteins present in the egg as harmful to the body. This results in the secretion of anti bodies that fight against the proteins present in the egg. The secretion of histamines and other factors by the body are responsible for the various egg allergy symptoms that are evidenced.

There are various factors that could lead to or increase the chances of egg allergy and these include family history. People with either one of the parents or both parents suffering from egg allergy or any other form of allergy are at an increased risk of being susceptible to egg allergy. Age is another important risk factor as children are found to be more susceptible to egg allergy. Other known risk factors for egg allergy include the presence of any other form of food allergy or the presence of atopic dermatitis.

The symptoms of egg allergy are not only elicited on consumption of egg and food products that contain egg, but some people have exhibited symptoms on inhalation of fumes from egg or skin contact with an egg. Such sensitive cases of egg allergy would require complete avoidance of egg, with eggs being kept out entirely, even from one's house.

Egg allergy testing usually involves skin tests where egg proteins are injected into the back or the forearm of the person. If the person is allergic to eggs, then a reddish raised patch is witnessed after a period of time. This is one of the commonly used methods of testing and the use of anti allergic medicines should be completely avoided for at least 2-3 days before the test is performed.

There have been reports that suggest that egg allergy can be overcome by slow sensitization to egg protein. Initially small amounts of egg should be introduced into the person's diet and then increasing amounts of egg should be included. These reports are, however, conflicting with many claims of sensitization being extremely harmful in certain sensitive individuals.

As the best form of coping with egg allergy is avoiding egg, other options could be exercised during food preparation. Interesting and equally delicious recipes without the presence of eggs are available in a host of internet sites and these may be used to create mouth watering dishes. Such options would allow one to enjoy a good meal without having to worry about signs of egg allergy.