What Happens Inside Your Body During an Allergic Reaction?
Food allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly identifies certain proteins in specific foods as harmful invaders and launches a “battle” against them. Let's understand how your immune system functions when it encounters a specific food allergen.
SENSITIZATION
When exposed to a specific food allergen for the first time, your immune system recognizes certain proteins in that food as foreign invaders or antigens. This process is called sensitization.
PRODUCTION OF IGE ANTIBODIES
As a response to the perceived threat from the ingested food allergen, your immune system produces specific antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies target and neutralize the specific food allergen that triggered their production.
MAST CELL ACTIVATION
Once the IgE antibodies are formed in your body, they bind to the surface of immune cells called mast cells, which are found mostly in the tissues of your skin, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract.
RE-ENCOUNTER WITH THE ALLERGEN
On subsequent exposures to the same food allergen, it binds to the IgE antibodies already attached to your mast cells. This interaction triggers your mast cells to release a range of potent chemical substances into your surrounding tissues.
ALLERGIC REACTION
The moment chemical mediators are released in your body, they lead to the characteristic symptoms of an allergic reaction. This reaction can affect different parts of your body. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, hives, itching, swelling, gastrointestinal issues (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), and respiratory problems (wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath).
ANAPHYLAXIS
Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It can cause a drop in your blood pressure, cause difficulty breathing, and can even turn fatal if not treated promptly with epinephrine. If you do not know the symptoms of anaphylaxis, PLEASE learn more at redsneakers.org/all-resources
You can read more on this here: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergies-and-the-immune-system
