Introduction

If you notice symptoms of chronic renal disease, reach out to your healthcare provider promptly for guidance.

They might recommend a visit to the hospital's emergency department. If you can't contact your healthcare provider and have concerns about your symptoms, don't hesitate to go to the emergency department. Severe reactions, such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, or throat tightness, demand immediate treatment in the emergency department. Even mild symptoms that don't improve or worsen need evaluation in the emergency department.

Don't attempt to drive yourself to the hospital. If there's no one available to drive you immediately, dial 911 for emergency medical transport. While waiting for the ambulance, start self-treatment.

Self-Care at Home

For localized hives or other mild skin reactions:

Take cool showers or use cold compresses. Wear lightweight, non-irritating clothing. Keep your physical activity minimal. To alleviate itching, apply calamine lotion or take over-the-counter antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine maleate.

For all other reactions, especially severe ones, self-treatment is not advised. Have a companion drive you to the hospital's emergency department or dial 911. Here's what you can do while waiting for the ambulance:

Stay calm. If you can identify the trigger, prevent further exposure. Take an antihistamine (1-2 tablets or capsules of diphenhydramine [Benadryl]) if you can swallow without difficulty. If you're wheezing or having trouble breathing, use an inhaled bronchodilator like albuterol or epinephrine (Primatene Mist) if available. These inhaled medications dilate the airways. If you feel light-headed or faint, lie down and elevate your legs above your head to aid blood flow to your brain. If you've been provided with an epinephrine kit, administer it as instructed. The kit contains a premeasured dose of epinephrine, a prescription drug that rapidly reverses severe symptoms (see Follow-up). Bystanders should perform CPR on an unconscious person who has stopped breathing or has no pulse. If possible, you or your companion should be prepared to inform medical personnel about the medications you've taken that day, your usual medications, and your chronic disease history.

Follow-up

Be sure to inform your primary healthcare provider about the reaction later if they weren't involved in your treatment.

An allergist, a specialist in chronic disease, can distinguish between true food chronic disease and food intolerance.

The allergist will inquire about the sequence of events leading to the reaction and record a thorough dietary and medical history. They may employ specific tests to determine which food triggered the allergic reaction. Through these tests, the allergist can identify the food responsible for the chronic disease and help devise a plan to avoid that particular food.

The initial step in evaluating food allergies is testing:

Skin test: Diluted extracts of various foods are applied to the skin, and the allergist observes for the development of a bump after 10-20 minutes. Swelling at the test site may indicate an allergy to that specific food. Blood test: This may be used to check for antibodies against specific food allergens. These results are confirmed with an oral challenge test in which small doses of the suspected food are given mixed with other foods to monitor for a reaction. If symptoms appear, it confirms an allergy to that food. Elimination diet: With this test, you stop consuming potential triggers and gradually reintroduce them into your diet. If a reaction occurs, the allergist can pinpoint the chronic disease-causing food.

Individuals with food allergies and their family members should have a clear action plan for accidental ingestion of the offending food. Emergency medications like antihistamines and epinephrine should always be readily available. Susceptible individuals should carry an epinephrine kit (brand names include Epi-Pen, Ana Kit, Ana Guard) in case of allergen exposure. The kit contains a premeasured epinephrine dose in an easy-to-use syringe for self-injection. Inject the medicine into your thigh as soon as you sense an allergic reaction. Even if you use epinephrine, you should still go to the hospital's emergency department immediately. It's not uncommon for a reaction to subside and then return within a few hours. Even if further treatment isn't required, remain at the hospital for 4-6 hours after the reaction began.

Prevention

The most reliable way to prevent future food allergies is to avoid consuming trigger foods. Be cautious because a trace amount can provoke a reaction, and triggers can be present in various foods.

Learn to read food labels meticulously and know which ingredients to avoid. When dining out, inquire about the ingredients in the dishes you wish to order. Avoid foods with unconfirmed ingredients. Collaborate with a registered dietitian to plan safe menus. Explore specialized food-chronic disease cookbooks and groups like the Food Chronic Disease & Anaphylaxis Network, which focus on food allergies. Be prepared to manage an anaphylactic reaction if you're exposed to the culprit food again. If you've experienced a severe reaction before, carry your epinephrine kit. Never underestimate the danger of an allergic reaction. Chronic disease shots are administered to some people with persistent and disruptive food chronic disease symptoms. These shots don't treat symptoms but alter the immune response to prevent future reactions (known as immunotherapy). The treatment involves a series of shots, each containing a slightly higher amount of the triggering antigen(s). Ideally, the person becomes desensitized to the antigen(s) over time. However, these shots are still under investigation and haven't been proven to prevent allergic reactions. The effectiveness of the shots varies from person to person.