It is known that a berry such as watermelon is 90% water.
But even this fact does not exclude watermelon from the list of allergen products. But, at the same time, watermelon brings great benefits to the body. The berry helps to get rid of excess weight, stones and sand in the kidneys, edema, cleanse the liver of toxins. Often, an allergy to watermelon occurs when using a nitrate product. Therefore, it is very important to choose a quality watermelon correctly and carefully. An important role is played by the timely treatment of allergies to watermelon.
The main causes and symptoms of watermelon allergy
According to numerous studies, it has been established that watermelon cannot cause allergies on its own. This disease is exclusively a cross-reaction. So, if a person has an allergy to ragweed, an allergy to watermelon will also manifest itself. Therefore, the problem should be attributed to the seasonal manifestation. The deterioration of the condition is observed in a specific period of time - during the flowering of ragweed.
Unlike hay fever, watermelon allergy begins to appear under other conditions. So, hay fever occurs only on pollen. With the flowering of this berry, deterioration in health is not observed. Symptoms will begin to occur when eating watermelon pulp. It should be noted that when the berry undergoes heat treatment, pathological reactions do not occur.
Why does this fruit lead to problems? The fact is that watermelon quickly accumulates various harmful substances (nitrates). They get in from the soil. Also, the fruit that was improperly stored or transported is considered unsuitable. All this has a toxic effect on the body. The liver suffers quite a lot. Over time, immune functions weaken, which leads to many complications, including allergies.
It is important to know that such a cross-reaction with weed allergies can occur not only on watermelon. So, you should be wary of such products:
- Eggplant;
- tomatoes;
- zucchini;
- Red pepper;
- Melon;
- Squash;
- Halva;
- Sunflower oil.
This is manifested by characteristic symptoms. Therefore, it will not be difficult to determine the presence of a pathology on your own, and consult a doctor. Symptoms occur some time after eating the product. So, patients have itching, swelling of the lips, tongue, palate, cheeks. The skin of the face, back, décolleté areas are covered with rashes in the form of urticaria. Often patients complain of sharp bouts of dry cough, sensation of a coma in the throat.
A little less often, an allergy to watermelon manifests itself in the form of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, sneezing attacks, and copious secretion of mucus from the sinuses. It is very rare to find such a symptom as anaphylactic shock. With excessive consumption of the allergen product, the digestive system is disrupted. Manifestations of such deviations are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, abdominal pain.
How to treat a watermelon allergy?
Any type of allergy requires a qualified diagnosis. It is important to know the specific allergen in order to exclude it from the diet during treatment. First of all, a thorough questioning of the patient by a specialist is required. Also, doctors recommend taking a blood test, which will reveal the presence or absence of immunoglobulins. A prerequisite for the study is the conduct of skin tests.
This method is a fast and efficient way to identify the allergen product. For this, putative allergens are applied to some parts of the body, and a reaction is expected. With redness of some parts of the body, the main causes of allergies are established. Increasingly, experts are resorting to the help of provocative tests in the diagnosis.
The classic treatment for allergies to watermelon, or any other food, is the use of antihistamines. They are aimed at stopping the release of histamine from mast cells. This effect very quickly eliminates allergy symptoms: itching, burning, hives, swelling, coughing, lacrimation. There are three generations of drugs. The following are the most popular:
- First generation: Dimedrol, Diazolin, Suprastin, Tavegil, Fenkarol;
- Second generation: Clarisence, Claridol, Clarotadin, Lomilan, Claritin;
- Third generation: Gismanal, Treksil, Telfast, Zirtek.
A prerequisite for the treatment of allergies to watermelon is the exclusion of this product from the diet. Among the modern methods of therapy, immunotherapy can be noted. The essence of such treatment is the systematic gradual introduction of extremely small doses of the allergen into the patient's body. Injections are diluted, so pathological reactions do not occur in humans. So, the body begins to get used to the substance, independently produce antibodies. The immune system is also strengthened, which becomes not vulnerable to the allergen.
The disadvantage of this method of treatment is the duration of therapy. It takes a lot of time to activate the independent work of the body. As a rule, this is 1-1.5 years. Also, injections are carried out 2-3 times a week exclusively in the clinic under the supervision of a doctor. But, therapy gives a 100% guarantee of getting rid of allergies. In addition, the possibility of recurrence is completely excluded.
Prevention
It is important to know that watermelon is a very useful product for the human body. Completely abandoning its use, one can observe a deficiency of certain trace elements in the body. To avoid allergic reactions, it is enough to follow some preventive measures. It is enough to buy high-quality watermelons that undergo laboratory control. Also, it is important to purchase only whole, not cut fruits.
If you have had this type of allergy in the past, you should follow a certain diet. Limit your intake of the following foods:
- Tomatoes;
- Melon;
- Bananas;
- Kiwi;
- Celery;
- Avocado;
- Orange;
- Strawberry.
To identify other possible cross-reactions, doctors advise keeping a food diary. It contains the time of eating, quantity, product, possible reactions, the alleged allergen. This will help to independently determine the cause of some deviations in health. Also, the presence of a food diary facilitates the diagnosis, speeds up the process of treating allergies.
