What’s the Difference Between Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities?
Many individuals experience uncomfortable reactions after eating, but remain uncertain about why this happened. Some people think and label their reaction as an allergy, while others call it a sensitivity, yet they often don’t understand how the two are different. This distinction is crucial; and it helps you identify your discomfort and find out the right steps to preserve your health.
At Brentview Urgent Care, we specialize in providing Food Allergy and Sensitivity (ALCAT) testing in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and Brentwood. Our commitment is to deliver comprehensive care, accurate testing, and straightforward explanations for patients searching for answers regarding their body’s responses to food.
Our experts use professional and easily comprehensible testing so that you can approach your diet with great confidence and know precisely what to avoid for maximum comfort and a healthy lifestyle
What Actually Is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy strikes when your body’s immune system incorrectly treats a harmless food as a dangerous invader. Essentially, your system views a normal item, like peanuts, eggs, milk, or shellfish, as a threat. This false alarm then causes an internal chemical reaction that quickly produces symptoms.
These immediate reactions might include:
- Itchiness or visible swelling inside the mouth or throat
- Hives, a rash, or red splotches appearing on the skin’s surface
- Sharp stomach pains or severe sickness shortly after eating
- Breathing difficulty or that high-pitched wheezing sound
- Feeling suddenly lightheaded or incredibly dizzy
Allergic episodes can range from a minor irritation to something truly serious.
Anyone already aware of their personal allergies should talk with their physician or medical professional of choice about always carrying an epinephrine injector for ultimate precaution.
How is Food Sensitivity Different?
Food sensitivity functions quite differently because it won’t activate a massive immune response. Instead, this issue is usually the consequence of your system struggling to properly process a particular food or element within it. The result is discomfort, and while quite annoying, is generally not life-threatening.
Common foods or elements that often trigger sensitivity issues include milk, gluten, caffeine, and various chemicals or additives put into pre-packaged items.
These bothersome symptoms often surface as:
- Abdominal gas and uncomfortable distension after a meal
- A grumbling tummy or general stomach soreness
- Persistent headaches or a lasting feeling of deep tiredness
- Minor redness or flushing of the skin
- A feeling of queasiness or a generally ailing stomach
Sometimes these symptoms don’t show up until several hours later, which makes figuring out the exact food you reacted to much more difficult, especially if you’ve consumed several different things throughout the day.
Key Differences: How to Tell Them Apart
Even though both involve a negative bodily response to food, there are some fundamental ways to keep allergies and sensitivities separated:
- System Involved: Allergies are all about your immune defense system overreacting, whereas sensitivities are primarily a digestive process issue.
- Danger Level: Allergies carry the risk of being severe or deadly, while sensitivities are limited to causing temporary, non-critical unpleasantness.
- Speed of Onset: Allergic responses start very quickly, sometimes in minutes. Sensitivity reactions can be heavily delayed, occasionally by many hours.
- Managing the Issue: An allergy demands complete exclusion of the food. A sensitivity can frequently be managed by simply consuming less or making small adjustments to your usual meals.
Understanding where your reaction falls is extremely important for taking charge of your health and making sure your discomfort doesn’t escalate into a health issue.
Why Is Testing Important?
Getting tested provides you with the crucial knowledge to identify the specifics causing your symptoms. This then helps you to take the necessary measures to either avoid or limit those foods. Blood tests and skin prick tests can reveal true allergic reactions, while other assessments can help us identify common sensitivities.
If you are dealing with food sensitivity, the best technique for symptom control is to simply cut back or stop eating the foods that are problematic.
If you have a genuine food allergy, you absolutely must not consume the item that triggers a reaction. Always check food labels carefully and ask lots of questions when you eat out, especially if you’re doubtful about the ingredients. If you have life-saving medication, like an EpiPen, be sure to keep it with you constantly for any emergency, and always contact your provider if you ever have to use it.
If you’re still confused about which foods are the culprits, you can chat with your medical provider for guidance or return for further screening at our urgent care facilities.
When Is It Time to See a Doctor?
You absolutely need to visit a physician if you have repeated negative reactions after consuming certain foods or if your episodes seem to be getting progressively worse. Seek emergency assistance without any delay if you experience throat or lip swelling, serious breathing trouble, or sudden faintness after eating.
Visit Brentview Urgent Care for Your Testing
If you suspect that allergies or sensitivities are negatively impacting your daily life, come on down to Brentview Urgent Care for our support. We happily offer Food Allergy and Sensitivity Testing for individuals, adults, and children in the Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and Brentwood region.
The entire evaluation is performed with great attention, and your results are thoroughly explained during your consultation. More follow-up tests might be recommended to confirm the initial findings or to gather deeper information about your specific reaction type.