Symptoms Of Allergies

There are many different types of food allergies that people have to be careful of. One of the most common of these is the shellfish allergy. This type of allergic reaction will usually only occur in people once they are adults. The type of shellfish that they are allergic to will fall into two group; mollusks and crustaceans. The mollusks are mussels, clams, and oysters. The crustaceans are lobster, shrimp, and crabs.

Though these two separate groups are distant relatives there are things that they share which make them cross reactive to each other. Some of the most common symptoms that can affect people will cause hives, swelling, and redness. When the symptoms are severe it can cause anaphylactic shock – which can cause people to stop breathing.

Change In Diet

There are many things that people need to be careful of when trying to avoid the shellfish allergy. They not only have to be careful of eating the different types of mollusks and crustaceans – but also have to be careful of certain types of medications.

Glucosamine is a common medicine that is given to people to treat arthritis. It is made from the shells of crustaceans and contains many of the proteins that are believed to people to be allergic to the foods. Some people are able to use this – but if you are afraid to try it then it is possible to use the vegetarian glucosamine.

Omega-3 supplements are also known to be made from seafood. Before you take any of these read the labels and ingredients to see what it is they contain. You will have to do this with a lot of the foods that you want to eat.

Iodine is commonly found in shellfish and anyone who has a shellfish allergy will also be allergic to this. Though not everyone who is allergic to shellfish has an allergy to iodine it is still a possibility and precautions should be taken. There are some medicines which contain high amounts of iodine. Make sure you tell any doctor about your sensitivity.