Understanding fish allergy

Articles — 30 October 2010

On the past few years, people all over the world have become conscious of their health. Due to this new healthy eating habit many people prefer to consume fish over red meat such as beef or pork. Truly, fish is a part of a healthy diet since fish has high protein and even contain omega 3 fatty acids that are now recognized ideal for cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, as much as some people love to eat fish such as tuna, salmon, herring or any great-tasting fish – fish allergy is also possible.

Fish allergy is a type of seafood allergy that many individuals suffer from. Actually, this type of allergy is part of the seafood allergy where other crustaceans or mollusks can start allergic reactions. An individual with fish allergy can still enjoy eating shrimp, squid and other seafood delights. Fish allergy begisn when the body overreacts to a protein found only in certain types of fishes such as tilapia, tuna, salmon, cod, pollock etc. Aside from directly eating fish, even inhaling fumes when preparing fish like frying or grilling can trigger an allergic reaction.

Fish allergy is inidicated by the following symptoms: itching, skin rashes, and respiratory problems such as difficulty in breathing. However, the most common sign of fish allergy that shows within 2 hours of consuming fish is “oral allergy symptom”. This starts when the mouth feels a tingling sensation especially in the lip area. Furthermore, digestive disorder can also occur such as diarrhea and vomiting which needs medical attention. From the given fish allergy symptoms, constriction of air passageways is the most lethal since the breathing becomes difficult. The allergy can even lead to anaphylactic shock wherein blood pressure falls and the person can become comatose. An Epinephrine shot is the only solution when shock happens. In case you or your loved one show mild symptoms of fish allergy, it’s ideal to avoid eating fish.

However, some dish prepared with fish sauce such as Asian or Mediterranean cuisine can lead to starting fish allergy when dining out. A practical way to avoid this is to not order dishes coming from such special cuisine.

At first, fish allergy may seem simple but it’s actually very complicated so be careful because one’s health should never be compromised.