Wheat allergy is basically a food allergy and is not very different from other food allergies or respiratory allergies. It is actually due to the allergenic components present in it.
Wheat allergy can be caused also due to occupational exposure and take the form of a respiratory or contact allergy not necessarily a
food allergy.
The causal factors:
The allergens present in wheat are proteins like serine proteinase inhibitors, prolamins, glutelins, and one omega gliadin. The symptoms occur as responses to these different proteins. Commonly the allergy is limited to the seed storage proteins. Aspirin and exercise both raise the level of gliadin in the blood stream and thus the chronic induced behavior may extend to other chemical food additives that are synthetic.
Symptoms of wheat allergy:
Like all other allergies,
wheat allergies also involve Ig E and mast cell responses. The symptoms include vomiting, swollen throat or tongue , lethargy , arthritis, diarrhea , headache, runny nose , watery or itchy eyes, joint pains and muscle aches, Hay fever, tissue swelling due to fluid leakage from blood vessels , depression, chest pain anxiety, acne and boils, psoriasis, migraines, skin rashes, sweating. Eczema .asthma, abdominal cramps, atopy are also common symptoms. Exercise/aspirin induced anaphylaxis and urticaria are observed more frequently with
wheat allergies.
Treatment:
First allergy testing is required to confirm the cause as
allergy and not other problems. Skin testing is the most common method. Also blood tests called RAST may be used if do not want to do skin test.
