Allergies are caused when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies the allergen as harmful and reacts against it. This results in a number of reactions such as hives, itchiness of skin, runny nose, watery eyes etc. Food allergies can also involve GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating and diarrhea. Hence, if your diarrhea is not caused due to poisoning, infection etc., it might be caused due to allergy.
Allergy Diarrhea:
Allergy diarrhea is caused after eating offending food or coming into contact with the allergen. Along with diarrhea, you might also have the following:
- Abdominal pain/cramps
- Abdominal Bloating
- Gas
- Nausea
- Vomiting
The above symptoms can be accompanied with hives, eczema, runny nose, watery eyes, difficulty breathing etc. If your diarrhea is accompanied with any of these symptoms, you might be having allergy induced diarrhea
In rare cases, the allergic reaction can progress to anaphylaxis which can be life threatening. An epinephrine can be used to prevent this reaction
Allergy Diarrhea Treatment :
Allergy induced diarrhea generally resolves within 4 to 6 hours. As the diarrhea can result in loss of fluids, one should drink plenty of water. Since water does not contain electrolytes, sports drink, fruit juices, or an electrolyte drink can help in maintaining the electrolyte levels. It is also important to avoid greasy foods, milk products, foods high in fiber. Your doctor can also prescribe medications to stop the diarrhea.
Food allergy is the common reason behind diarrhea. To detect the offending food, you can eliminate the suspected food in your diet for a few days and check if your diarrhea resolves. Allergy testing can also be undertaken to detect the allergens causing the diarrhea.
