Do you suffer from Allergy or Food Intolerance?
‘Real’ allergies often develop at an early age and either parent may also suffer from allergies. In such cases IgE testing often confirms allergies. Intolerance’s on the other hand often gradually get worse or develop later on in life. In such cases we know historically that they are not ‘real allergies’, something else has changed within the body which is now allowing these reactions to occur.
In these situations ICIM Medics either implements IgG Intolerance Testing or IgE Allergy Testing and/or look to uncover the underlying cause, what has changed ?
Food allergy remains at 2% for adults and 5% for children which is very much at odds with the level of clinically apparent food allergy seen in clinical practice. The possible explanation for this is that it appears that many individuals symptom picture is more like an ‘intolerance’ or ‘sensitivity’.
There is much confusion in the medical world over what an allergy is. Within the category of allergy, there are different levels of reaction; allergy, intolerance and sensitivity.
A ‘real allergy’ is immune reaction that can be classified into two categories – acute or immediate onset and slow reactive that may take several hours up to 3 days for symptoms to appear.
Immediate onset allergy is initiated by IgE antibodies in the body and causes symptoms such as hay fever, asthma and anaphylaxis. ICIM Medics conduct IgE Allergy Testing to confirm the allergens.
Slow reactive allergy is an immune-initiated reaction that involves both IgE antibodies and other immune-stimulated reactions such as histamine, prostaglandins and leukotrienes. ICIM Medics pick up on these other immune-stimulated reactions by measuring IgG Allergy Testing. These chemicals are released upon exposure to the allergen but may take up to 3 days to manifest in symptoms and are therefore often very difficult to detect.
An intolerance or sensitivity is a non-immune mediated reaction to foods and other substances. Intolerance’s usually develop or gradually worsen over time. In such cases we know historically that they are not ‘real allergies’, something else has changes within the body which is now allowing these reactions to occur. Food intolerance reactions may induce a histamine reaction but this will not be immune mediated. In these situations ICIM Medics either implement IgG Intolerance Testing and/or look to uncover the underlying cause, and identify what has changed.
Some common underlying causes include lactose intolerance, frequently digestive related problems may have occurred which can lead to maldigestion, gut permeability or intestinal infections. When digestion becomes affected, the foods consumed are not broken down properly, can lead to incomplete digestion and can actually cause increased ‘antigenicity’ of foods which in turn creates ‘food intolerance reactions’. In this case – cutting out the food does not actually solve the problem but merely palliates. Successful treatment of the ‘food intolerance’ requires addressing the root of the problem i.e. treatment of the digestive system.
That is why at ICIM Medics, Allergy Testing may be a part of treatment with our focus being on the underlying cause of root of the reaction being experienced. ICIM Medics’ team take the time and consideration to carefully select the most appropriate test for their patients to ensure that the root of the problem has been identified and addressed as best as possible.
Due to the conspicuous relationship between consumption of certain foods and the onset of symptoms, allergy diagnosis is often mistakenly given. ICIM Medics are proud of their pioneering approach towards proper identification of the underlying cause of root of patients reactions.
Please contact us on 045 844 819 to make your appointment or e-mail us at: info@icim.ie
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