Peanut Allergy – The Dreaded One

Peanut butter is one of the best dietary proteins consumed in America.

The problem for people suffering from peanut allergy as more foods is being prepared with peanut butter or peanut oil. To deceive people, the ingredients are masked on the label as        “groundnuts” or “hydrolysed vegetable protein”.  The flavor of peanut may be wonderful but even a trace of it may be fatal for peanut allergic person.

Going out for a dinner, ordering food after checking the menu card carefully having no peanut in it, you get the shock of your life when you start getting the reaction of peanut allergy since the food was cooked in peanut oil. This is exactly an often repeated scenario which can be deadly.

The difference between other allergies and peanut allergy is that it can fatal in minutes. The reason is the throat gets swelled and the person cannot breathe. This symptom is the most critical symptom and other symptoms are:

• Flushed face
• Hives
• Itchy or swollen tongue, lips, mouth or eyes
• Tightness in the throat, mouth and chest
• Change of voice
• Running nose
• Nausea and / or vomiting
• Wheezing, coughing and / or choking
• Onset of severe fatigue and / or dizziness

If the case is new or symptoms observed, the person should be provided with emergency care. If the person is aware of peanut allergy, a dose of epinephrine should be administered discretely at the very first symptom.

If somebody is sensitive to peanut, he should check up with an Allergist to determine the exact state of his health. He can use other nuts. He should check labels carefully. While dining out, check the oil used, the utensils used by peanut eaters

There is no cure for peanut allergy. Only way is to avoid peanut in any form.