When it comes to unexplained conditions, acid reflux and hives are right near the top of the list. Food allergies and intolerances can aggravate both acid reflux and hives, or in some cases be the root cause. By far the more bothersome of the two to live with is hives. Acid reflux is sometimes easier to treat so if you are having problems with both acid reflux and hives at the same time, you should first try to treat the acid reflux. Hives may disappear at the same time if the cause is the same. So where to start?
Food Allergies
A food allergy happens when the body’s immune system goes into action against a certain food. The immune system is known to play a key role in both acid reflux and hives. The most common foods to cause allergic reactions are:
- Milk, dairy
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Soy
- Wheat
- Shellfish
- Fish
It is thought that over 90% of all food allergy problems are caused by one of these food types, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Sometimes acid reflux is an allergic reaction to one of these foods and you’ll have to go through a process of elimination to see if one of the listed foods is causing your problem. A food journal is helpful in these cases. A severe allergic reaction will result in more symptoms than just acid reflux. And hives may present alone without acid reflux but it is a good bet that if your condition is to be figured out, you will find one of these food groups to be the offender.
Some of the other allergic reactions you can expect are mouth tingling, difficulty in breathing, cramping, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, or an asthma attack. The symptoms usually appear within an hour of ingesting the food. If you experience a rapid blood pressure drop or anaphylaxis, you should go to the emergency room without delay
Food Intolerance
Food intolerances share similar symptoms but do not involve the immune system. So while intolerance can be responsible for your acid reflux, it is probably not the cause of hives.
Your doctor can administer blood tests, help with elimination diets, and construct a diet that will help you avoid any foods that may be causing problems while still getting proper nutrition. If you find a food that is responsible, you will need to begin reading food ingredient labels on everything you purchase. Prepared foods often contain ingredients you wouldn’t expect.
