It seems peculiar that eating pears will not cause any effect on the body but when drinking pear cider, some individuals develop the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Take note that this is an indication of histamine intolerance. Always remember that the symptoms of histamine intolerance are somewhat similar to the symptoms of an allergic reaction which will make the diagnosis a difficult one. The individual should set an appointment with a doctor in order to determine the exact cause of the symptoms. Other possible considerations include an actual food allergy or pollen-food allergy syndrome.
Histamine intolerance
Histamine is the chemical that occurs in the soft tissues and helps protect the body against infection. Histamine is one of the main chemicals that trigger the symptoms of an allergic reaction after eating beverage or food as well as the inhalation of airborne allergens.
Intolerance to histamine is the inability to process the naturally-occurring histamine present in beverages and foods. Pear cider contains elevated amounts of histamine due to the fermenting process. If an individual is intolerant to histamine, he/she can develop runny nose, throat irritation, skin rashes or flushing of the skin by simply drinking pear cider.
Food allergy
An actual food allergy to pear cider should undergo allergy testing. A food allergy to pears will trigger the production of immunoglobulin E antibodies. These antibodies will protect the body from infectious organisms. If a food allergy occurs, the immune system mistakenly identifies the proteins in pear cider as a threat. This will trigger a chemical chain reaction all over the body, resulting to the production of histamine. The allergy tests involve taking a sample of blood to check for the presence of IgE antibodies.
An individual who is diagnosed with an actual food allergy is usually prescribed by the doctor with an injectable epinephrine or EpiPen that should be present all the time wherever the individual goes. It is vital that you know the appropriate steps to take during an allergic reaction. All you have to do is to register for first aid training today.
Pollen-food allergy syndrome
A doctor must be consulted if the individual develops the allergy-like symptoms in the mouth after drinking pear cider. The individual might have pollen-food syndrome or oral allergy syndrome. Take note that this condition is the confusion of certain pollens with the proteins present in some vegetables and fruits. If an individual is allergic to alder or birch pollen, he/she can develop mild to severe itchiness in the lips, tongue, throat and mouth. Remember that this condition rarely instigates a severe allergic reaction.
Life-threatening symptoms
If the individual develops symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, lightheadedness, coughing, anxiety, confusion, cramping, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, nasal congestion, diarrhea, hives, slurred speech, heart palpitation, itchiness and low blood pressure.