Is Rice Allergy Becoming A More Commonly Seen Allergy?
Rice is considered one of the least likely grains to cause allergic hypersensitivity that will lead to a rice allergy. With a global trade economy however, billions of people who otherwise would not necessarily have eaten rice as part of their diet, are now consuming rice. This has led to a development of individuals with a rice allergy.
Rice is the primary staple in the diet of several countries where overpopulation has led to a dependence on it for daily caloric needs. It is also a food that has a great deal of nutritional benefits, is economical, and grows in areas where other types of grains will not. Once dried, rice is an easily portable food source as well. Rice has become a very popular ingredient in many dishes worldwide.
Symptoms
Symptoms includes shortness of breath that can be mild or progress to a life threatening inability to breathe, almost like an allergy induced asthma. Other symptoms which fall in the mild category include: a distended abdomen (stomach), nausea/vomiting, loose stools, flatulence, and skin rash. Check any topical products you may apply to the skin (such as lotions and cosmetics) for rice or rice derivatives. This will decrease the likelihood of causing a skin rice allergy; which occurs when the skin inflames itself (via histamine) to ward off and get rid of the offensive allergen by flushing it with cell fluid (swelling/rash).
The oral (mouth) tissues that come in contact with ingested (eaten) rice may swell as well. The edema (swelling) must be monitored to ensure an allergy doesn’t cause shortness of breath from inflammation and swelling of the trachea (windpipe) or epiglottis (flap to prevent food from entering the lungs).
Mild allergy symptoms can occur at any age and may worsen with each subsequent exposure to rice. Typically those who have a white rice allergy, find brown rice causes similar reactions and must be avoided.
Severe symptoms occur when the allergy causes shortness of breath to the point a person cannot obtain adequate oxygen to support bodily functions. The person may stop breathing completely due to swelling of the airway.
This is a medical emergency and medical personnel should be summoned immediately. First aid measures should be taken. If the person has any type of injection to counter act the allergy allergen, it should be given. A physician’s assistance will be required to handle this situation.
A rice cereal allergy produces symptoms most often in children due to recommendations to introduce it as one of the first solid foods in an infant’s diet. Be careful to monitor your baby for any strange allergy symptoms of distress when introducing these to their diet.
An allergy to rice can present itself even after you may have consumed rice several times and had no symptoms. Many people do not consider rice to pose a threat as an allergen; however more and more people are developing intolerance to it.
The method of prevention that works best with treating rice allergy is to avoid eating rice if a known allergy exists. Also consider rice a culprit if allergy symptoms involve shortness of breath.
