Jon Halty, Coffee Allergy - Do you like to drink coffee? For some people, coffee has become a kind of 'ammunition' to ward off drowsiness, refresh the mind, increase energy, and increase the body's metabolism. In addition, coffee is also claimed to help reduce weight. Behind the benefits of the coffee, who would have thought that coffee could cause allergies! Why can someone experience coffee allergies?
What Is Coffee Allergy?
Coffee allergy is a condition where a person experiences an allergic reaction after he drinks coffee. This allergic reaction is due to an atypical response of the immune system to the compounds contained in coffee. As a result of that, the immune system detects coffee compounds as a threat so that they immediately fight which then triggers an allergic reaction.
Just like an allergic reaction in general, coffee allergy can appear either momentarily or a few hours after the person has taken coffee, depending on how fast the immune system response of each person.
Causes of Coffee Allergy
The cause of coffee allergy is an excessive response from the body, especially the immune system, to the coffee content such as caffeine and others. The immune system detects coffee compounds like dangerous viruses or microorganisms, so what is done then is to form immunoglobulin E antibodies to fight them.
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Immunoglobulin E resistance activity against allergen compounds in coffee then triggers the body to release histamine compounds which are characterized by an allergic reaction. The atypical response of the immune system to coffee may also be affected by the tendency of allergies to other types of food, although this may not necessarily be a benchmark.
Characteristics or Symptoms of Coffee Allergy
Coffee allergy has a number of features or symptoms, which in fact is not much different from other food allergy symptoms. Here are the symptoms of coffee allergy that you need to know and be aware of.
1. A rash appears on the skin
Symptoms of coffee allergy can also occur on the skin. A person may experience a skin rash after drinking coffee, indicating that he has an allergy to coffee. Rashes on the skin due to coffee allergy can be accompanied by or without protrusion of the skin, and can appear shortly or several hours after consuming coffee or foods containing coffee.
2. Itching
In addition to the rash, itchy skin is another symptom of coffee allergy that can be experienced by people with coffee allergies. If after drinking coffee or coffee-flavored food the body feels itchy, then you probably have an allergy to coffee. To ensure this, consult a doctor.
3. Swelling
At the level of higher immune system sensitivity, coffee allergic reactions can also be characterized by swelling in a number of body members, such as the sinuses, lips, tongue, and throat.
4. Chest and Muscle Pain
Pain often approaches those who are allergic to drinking coffee. This pain mainly occurs in the muscles and chest area. However, this allergic reaction is rare.
5. Dizziness and Headache
The purpose of people drinking coffee is to relieve dizziness or headaches. But in those who have coffee allergies, the opposite is true, namely dizziness and headaches after consuming coffee. Coffee allergic reactions in the form of headaches, as revealed by a team of doctors from the University of Maryland Medical Center, are associated with swelling in the sinus cavity.
6. Fatigue
In addition to eliminating dizziness, coffee is also considered effective in relieving fatigue. But again, what is felt by coffee allergy sufferers is the opposite, namely the body actually becomes tired quickly after he drinks coffee and foods containing coffee.
7. Vision disorders
Your vision becomes a little blurry after drinking coffee? This could be an allergic reaction to coffee. Check with your doctor to determine the cause of this problem.
8. Digestive Disorders
Coffee allergies can also be characterized by a number of disorders in the digestive system, ranging from stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, to diarrhea. The symptoms of this coffee allergy are less common than other common features such as dizziness and headaches.
9. Behavior Change
Experiencing a number of behavioral changes such as anxiety, irritability, depression, loss of focus, delusion and hallucinations after consuming coffee are symptoms of coffee allergy that are quite serious and can have a harmful effect if not addressed immediately.
10. Shock Anaphylaxis
Anaphylactic shock is an allergic reaction to a serious degree because it can be life threatening. Medical treatment as soon as possible becomes a necessity to prevent the condition from getting worse. Anaphylactic shock as a coffee allergic reaction includes:
Numbness in the face, hands or feet
Blood pressure decreases
Hard to breathe
The heartbeat accelerates
Immediately run to the hospital for medical treatment so that this condition does not worsen and threaten the safety of your soul.
Coffee Allergy Diagnosis
In cases of coffee allergies, doctors need to do a number of diagnostic procedures to ensure a patient's diagnosis of this allergy. The procedure includes:
History, which is interviewing about patient complaints, history of allergies (personal and family), history of drug use, and frequency of coffee consumption
Physical Examination, which examines the patient's physical condition by noting the typical symptoms of coffee allergies such as skin rash and swelling in a number of body parts
Investigation, namely in the form of an immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody test to see its sensitivity to allergic triggers (allergens)
Coffee Allergy Treatment
Not much different from other allergic treatments, coffee allergy drugs include antihistamines to relieve allergic symptoms such as hives. Antihistamines are antagonistic drugs for allergic-producing histamine compounds.
Antihistamines consist of 2 (two) groups, namely first generation antihistamines (clemastine, chlorphenamine, ketotifen, alimemazine, hydroxyzine), and second generation antihistamines (loratadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine).
In addition to antihistamines, coffee allergy drugs that are commonly given are corticosteroids which function to relieve symptoms of coffee allergy in the form of swelling. Meanwhile, a coffee allergic reaction in the form of anaphylactic shock can be alleviated by giving an adrenaline injection.
Prevention of Coffee Allergy
Refraining from consuming coffee is the only way to prevent coffee allergies that can be done, considering allergies are a health problem that until now has not been found a way to really eliminate them.