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Wheat is found in a wide variety of foods, especially in food you would least expect. For example, did you know that tomato sauce contains wheat!

If you did then consider yourself one of the few, but for the rest of us, particularly those who may have a wheat allergy – this article is for you.!

The complete dummies guide to wheat allergy symptoms and how to treat it.

Here I give you the low down on what a wheat allergy is, how it occurs, what the symptoms are and what you can do to get some relief

What is a wheat allergy?

A wheat allergy is created when your immune system begins to identify something found in wheat as harmful.

These harmful substances that are usually detected in wheat are albumin, globulin, gliadin and gluten – these are all different types of proteins found in wheat. You can be allergic to one or more of these proteins.

How it happens

When you have a wheat allergy, after you have ingested or come in contact with wheat, your immune system will automatically release weapons to destroy the food every time you ingest as it has mistaken it as dangerous.

Usually this is not a normal response, but in your case your immune system has become confused and has instead mistaken wheat for something dangerous like a bacteria or virus.

In order for your immune system to do the job properly and protect you against danger, it must now destroy the invader by releasing IgE antibodies.

When the antibodies come in contact with wheat, it signals certain cells to release chemicals like histamine in nearby tissues in an attempt to destroy the invader.

As a result of this attack and the release of chemicals, you will begin to experience a range of symptoms that lets you know that you have ingested, inhaled or come in contact with wheat.

What are the Symptoms

If you are allergic to wheat, a reaction can occur immediately or a few hours later after inhaling, ingesting or coming in contact with wheat.

Depending on where the chemicals are released determines what sort of reaction you may experience. For example if the chemicals are released in the skin, you will experience skin rashes like hives or atopic dermatitis.

Symptoms can vary each time and can change in severity. Any one or more of the following symptoms may arise:

• Hives (Urticaria) – A rash that is characterised by circular welts on the skin that are usually itchy and occur most commonly on the legs, arms and trunk.
• Anaphylaxis – A life threatening reaction consisting of swelling of the mouth and throat followed by chest tightness, difficulty breathing and dizziness/fainting.
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Stomach cramping
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Difficulty breathing
• Nasal congestion
• Itchy eyes
• Itchy mouth and throat

Who is more prone to a wheat allergy?

A wheat allergy was found to be relatively rare amongst adults but is now increasing. Occupational inhalation of wheat flour in bakeries, the increased prevalence of wheat flour in a wider variety of foods and the overall increase of food allergies in general may be contributing factors to this growth.

Wheat allergy is still however much more common amongst children.

Wheat allergy is commonly found in infants when wheat is first introduced into their diet, as their immune systems aren’t fully developed.

Wheat allergy will commonly occur in infants who already have other existing food allergies and have parents with a history of food allergies.

Often a wheat allergy in a child is out grown between 4-12 years of age once their immune systems have fully developed. Unfortunately this may not always be in the case especially if there is a long family history of food allergy.

Do you think you may have a wheat allergy? Get Tested

If you are regularly suffering with one or more of the following symptoms that have been discussed after the ingestion or contact with wheat, it may be a good idea to get tested and receive an accurate diagnosis.

Skin Prick Test

Skin prick test is commonly the first test used by Doctors to determine an allergy. This type of test can be taken out on babies, children and adults.

The test is usually taken out on the inner forearm or back. It involves introducing a small amount of the allergens in question underneath the skin by first placing a drop of the allergen on top of the skin and then pricking the skin with a lancet.

This can feel uncomfortable but should not feel painful. If there is a positive reaction to the allergen, the skin will become itchy followed by a red swollen wheal after 15-20 minutes.

It does not represent the severity of the allergy, but just the presence of IgE antibodies to that particular allergen which are creating your symptoms.

NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique)

If you do not like the thought of the skin prick test, you may want to look into NAET which uses a non invasive, pain free test called muscle testing.

To learn more about NAET please click here.

How to treat your wheat allergy

If you have been diagnosed with a positive wheat allergy, the most important step you will need to make is to avoid all wheat derived foods.

Wheat can be hidden in almost anything including places you least expect like soups and sauces – wheat flour is commonly used as a thickener.

Looking out for foods that say gluten free (even though you may not be allergic to this type of protein in wheat) will guarantee there is absolutely no wheat used in their ingredients.

Wheat Free Grains

We Recommend:

The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: Two Hundred Gourmet & Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family Overall Rating:

 

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Gluten intolerance and wheat sensitivity are completely different to wheat allergy, so it’s important that you educate yourself on these two. This information will be coming soon.

Please post below and share your experiences and stories on wheat allergies!

References

1. Battais F, Richard C, Jacquenet S, Denergy-Papini S & Moneret-Vautrin DA. Wheat grain allergies: an update on wheat allergens. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Ummunol, 2008, Nov; 40(3):67-76

2. Niggemann B, Reibel S & Wahn U. The atopy patch test – a useful tool for the diagnosis of food allergy in children with atopic dermatitis. Blackwell Publishing 2000, Allergy, Volume 55, Number 3, pp. 2810285(5)

3. Keet CA, Matsui EC, Dhillon G, Lenehan P, Paterakis M, Wood RA. The natural history of wheat allergy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunology, 2009, May;102(5):410-5.

4. Denise A. Moneret-Vautrin & Martine Morisset. Adult food allergy. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 2005, Volume 5, Number 1, pp. 80-85.

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About Chloe Orford

Chloe Orford is the co-founder of Live Allergy Free - A website that gives you helpful tips, guides and awareness on how best to relieve your allergies. Having treated myself and many others of food and environmental allergies...read more.

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