Cayenne pepper is extensively used for culinary purposes for its spicy flavor. Capsaicin, an ingredient residing in this pepper is wrongly treated as a threat by your immune system.
Thus it releases antibodies to detect them. When IgE antibodies come in contact with capsaicin, it releases histamine to thwart these foreign substances. Chemical reaction between them results in cayenne pepper allergy symptoms.
Capsaicin ingredient in housed in different peppers, you must check before consuming it.
Allergic reaction stimulates within few hours of eating or after exposing to small amount of cayenne.
Cayenne Pepper Allergy Symptoms
Initial symptoms like sneezing, cough, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea can be seen. Allergic signs over the skin include small red bumps and itching. Hives and other allergic symptoms increase with time.
Severe reaction includes swelling of face, throat, tongue and lips. Histamines released by immune system combats with food substances present in cayenne, in severe cases it dilate blood tissues. As a result whole blood overreacts to ingredients in cayenne, person may develop anaphylaxis condition.
According to experts, allergies in some people are hereditary while other develops as they grow. To make sure you aren’t allergic to cayenne pepper, ask your family members.
Person who experiences any of these uncommon symptoms after exposing to cayenne pepper must consult allergist or physician immediately for diagnosis.
Diagnosis
All food allergy symptoms are identical, so it’s not easy for a common man to determine the allergen. You may avoid the wrong product and continue with the real allergen, which is very dangerous.
Allergist will conduct skin prick test by exposing your skin to different substances to determine the allergen. When the allergen is confirmed you must avoid the food substance in all dishes.
In rare cases hypersensitive people may experience sneezing and wheezing problem if they inhale allergic food substance.
You can’t completely cure cayenne pepper allergy, so you must avoid it and take regular medication.