If your immune system reacts to birch pollen, for example, you may be sensitive to related foods such as apples, cherries, carrots and celery. Oral allergy symptoms develop within a few minutes of eating: The mouth or lips can itch or tingle, and there can be burning or swelling or even tightening of the throat.
Oral Allergy Syndrome
People who have symptoms of an allergic reaction that only affect their mouth (e.g., lip and mouth itching, tingling, stinging, or swelling) after eating an apple probably do not have a true fruit allergy. Instead, they are more likely to be reacting to the protein related to pollen.
Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS), also known as oral allergy syndrome, is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits, vegetables, or some tree nuts. The immune system recognizes the pollen and similar proteins in the food and directs an allergic response to it.
Symptoms may involve the skin, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and respiratory tract, and may include one or more of the following: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps. Hives (allergic urticaria), itching, eczema. Wheezing, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, repetitive cough.
OAS occurs when your immune system mistakes the food you're eating for the pollen to which you are allergic. Say you're allergic to birch pollen and eat an apple. Your body might detect trace amounts of pollen left on that apple and start producing antibodies.
A person who experiences an anaphylactic reaction to apples or any other substance requires emergency medical attention. Treatment for a person with a life-threatening food allergy can include: immediate use of an epinephrine injection (EpiPen) intravenous medications, including antihistamines and cortisone.
Topical corticosteroids may help reduce inflammation and heal chapped lips. Low potency topical corticosteroids, or Class II topical corticosteroids such as topical hydrocortisone 1%, are available over the counter (OTC) as an ointment, cream, or gel.
Dr. Morris summarizes, “Red flesh apples were the least allergenic, and the old fashioned apples were less allergenic than others like gala, fuji, and pink ladies.” The researchers suggest that patients with a strong sensitivity to apples should use immunotherapy to treat the cause of their birch allergy.
A great variety of different fruits have been reported as causing allergic reactions, however, the most prevalent and best described are reactions to apple, peach and kiwi fruit.
Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is a type of food allergy to vegetables, fruits and nuts. It causes an allergic reaction usually limited to your lips, mouth and throat.
Allergies or reactions to foods, food flavorings, other food additives, fragrances or dyes, dental materials, or mouth care products. Reflux of stomach acid that enters your mouth from your stomach, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Certain medicines, especially high blood pressure medicines.
Kiwi, celery, nectarines, apricots, and apples are the most common trigger foods. If you have a ragweed allergy, you may have to avoid: Bananas.
These reactions occur due to the proteins in the uncooked fruit or vegetables. Your body gets confused between the pollen forming allergen and the similar protein in your uncooked veggies or fruit. The confusion occurs quite quickly, and irritation in your mouth or throat remains mild.
3. You may be able to eat foods that cause OAS symptoms if you remove their skins and/or cook them. Heat affects the proteins, so you may be able to eat these foods cooked instead of raw. For example, a fresh apple may cause symptoms, but a person with OAS may be able to eat applesauce without symptoms.
Most apple allergic patients notice itching of mouth and throat, and itching, redness and swelling of the lips, within the 5-15 minutes after eating the fruit, or even while chewing and swallowing it. These symptoms disappear 15 to 60 minutes later.
Allergy to apples is commonly seen in association with birch pollinosis. More than 70% of individuals with birch pollen sensitivity develop allergic sensitization to apples.
The research showed that red flesh apples — or apples that are red on the inside — are the least likely to cause reactions. If you're not able to find a red flesh apple, consider a Pink Lady, a non-red flesh apple that causes less reactions for those with OAS.
What is oral allergy syndrome? Oral allergy syndrome (OAS), a type of food allergy, is an allergic reaction that is confined to the lips, mouth and throat. OAS most commonly occurs in people with asthma or hay fever from tree pollen who eat fresh (raw) fruits or vegetables. Other pollen allergies may also trigger OAS.
In some people, a food allergy can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This can cause life-threatening signs and symptoms, including: Constriction and tightening of the airways. A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in your throat that makes it difficult to breathe.
Allergic contact cheilitis usually presents as eczema-like changes on the vermilion margin or skin around the mouth. One or both lips may be red with dryness, scaling and cracking. The changes may be quite localised or affect the whole lip. Involvement of the angles of the mouth may also be seen (angular-cheilitis).
What does it look like? Solar cheilitis predominantly affects the lower lip because it tends to be more prominent. The homogenous pink color of the healthy lip (Figure A) is replaced with non-homogenous white/gray, pink, red, or brown areas and the normally sharp vermillion/skin border becomes less distinct (Figure B).
Lip eczema appears as redness, dryness, scaling and fissuring. The angle of the mouth is often also involved. The most commonly affected parts of the lips are the perioral skin and vermilion margin. It is important to note your skin and mucosal lesions elsewhere as these may give a clue about the main cause.