Antihistamine tablets can treat a mild allergic reaction. Antihistamine helps block the effects of histamine, which the body releases when it encounters an allergen. Speak to your pharmacist about the different types available without a prescription. Corticosteroids can also be taken to reduce inflammatory or swelling symptoms. These are usually prescribed but may be available over-the-counter depending on strength.

Speak to your pharmacist about the different types available without a prescription. Corticosteroids can also be taken to reduce inflammatory or swelling symptoms. These are usually prescribed but may be available over-the-counter depending on strength.

An anaphylactic reaction can feature some of the same egg allergy symptoms. But it tends to be systemic meaning that it affects more than one part of your body and may involve your airways, breathing and circulation.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

• flushed, pale or itching skin (hives)
• swelling of the tongue or throat
• a weak or rapid pulse
• diarrhea, vomiting or feeling sick
• a drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
• narrowing of the airways, which may cause wheezing and difficulty breathing
• feeling dizzy or fainting

Anaphylaxis can be fatal and anyone experiencing these signs or symptoms needs urgent medical treatment. Call an ambulance.

An anaphylactic reaction can feature some of the same egg allergy symptoms. But it tends to be systemic meaning that it affects more than one part of your body and may involve your airways, breathing and circulation.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

• flushed, pale or itching skin (hives)
• swelling of the tongue or throat
• a weak or rapid pulse
• diarrhea, vomiting or feeling sick
• a drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
• narrowing of the airways, which may cause wheezing and difficulty breathing
• feeling dizzy or fainting

Anaphylaxis can be fatal and anyone experiencing these signs or symptoms needs urgent medical treatment. Call an ambulance.

Epinephrine is the main medication used to treat anaphylaxis. It’s another name for the hormone adrenaline. Your healthcare provider may prescribe it if they think you’re at risk of a severe allergic reaction. It comes in an auto-injector. That’s an easy-to-use injection you can administer to yourself.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

• flushed, pale or itching skin (hives)
• swelling of the tongue or throat
• a weak or rapid pulse
• diarrhea, vomiting or feeling sick
• a drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
• narrowing of the airways, which may cause wheezing and difficulty breathing
• feeling dizzy or fainting

Anaphylaxis can be fatal and anyone experiencing these signs or symptoms needs urgent medical treatment. Call an ambulance.

Epinephrine is the main medication used to treat anaphylaxis. It’s another name for the hormone adrenaline. Your healthcare provider may prescribe it if they think you’re at risk of a severe allergic reaction. It comes in an auto-injector. That’s an easy-to-use injection you can administer to yourself.

Always carry two auto-injectors with you as one dose may not be enough. Seek immediate medical attention even if you feel better after having a shot of epinephrine because some people with anaphylaxis can have a delayed secondary allergic reaction.

And teach family and friends how to use an auto-injector as this prepares them for emergencies.

Medical alert bracelets let people know how to help you.

Egg whites contain the proteins that are most likely to cause an allergic reaction. But if you have egg allergy you must avoid both. Even if you can tolerate egg yolks, there’s a risk of cross-contamination with egg white protein because the two parts can’t be fully separated.

Egg allergy symptoms develop after your body’s immune system becomes sensitized to proteins in egg whites, egg yolks or both. Your body misinterprets egg as harmful and produces Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to protect itself.

Egg whites contain the proteins that are most likely to cause an allergic reaction. But if you have egg allergy you must avoid both. Even if you can tolerate egg yolks, there’s a risk of cross-contamination with egg white protein because the two parts can’t be fully separated.

Egg whites contain the proteins that are most likely to cause an allergic reaction. But if you have egg allergy you must avoid both. Even if you can tolerate egg yolks, there’s a risk of cross-contamination with egg white protein because the two parts can’t be fully separated.

Speak to your healthcare provider if you think you or your child has egg allergy. They’ll check your symptoms and family medical history. A daily log of what you eat and drink can help to determine if egg allergy is causing the symptoms. Here are some of the possible steps involved in allergy testing.

1. Your healthcare provider may suggest a skin prick test. A drop of liquid, containing egg white or egg yolk proteins, is put on the skin of a part of your body such as your forearm and pricked with a needle tip. If the skin turns red or appears darker after a few minutes you could have egg allergy.

Speak to your healthcare provider if you think you or your child has egg allergy. They’ll check your symptoms and family medical history. A daily log of what you eat and drink can help to determine if egg allergy is causing the symptoms. Here are some of the possible steps involved in allergy testing.

1. Your healthcare provider may suggest a skin prick test. A drop of liquid, containing egg white or egg yolk proteins, is put on the skin of a part of your body such as your forearm and pricked with a needle tip. If the skin turns red or appears darker after a few minutes you could have egg allergy.

Speak to your healthcare provider if you think you or your child has egg allergy. They’ll check your symptoms and family medical history. A daily log of what you eat and drink can help to determine if egg allergy is causing the symptoms. Here are some of the possible steps involved in allergy testing.

1. Your healthcare provider may suggest a skin prick test. A drop of liquid, containing egg white or egg yolk proteins, is put on the skin of a part of your body such as your forearm and pricked with a needle tip. If the skin turns red or appears darker after a few minutes you could have egg allergy.

2. If the results are inconclusive, you may need an allergy blood test to check for IgE antibodies. A positive test means you could have an egg allergy. The more detailed component blood test looks for specific egg proteins. That can show if you’re sensitized to egg white or yolk. It can also distinguish between a primary allergy to chicken eggs and cross-reactions to very similar proteins in other types of bird egg. For instance, duck, goose, turkey or quail eggs.

3. Egg allergies can cause IgE, mixed IgE or non-IgE reactions.IgE reactions usually develop quickly, while non-IgE reactions can take up to two days to appear. Mixed IgE and non-IgE egg allergies can be more difficult to diagnose since they may not show up in blood results. If it’s still unclear, your healthcare provider may recommend an oral food challenge. This involves eating small amounts of egg in increasing amounts while being watched for a reaction.

4. Depending on your medical history, they may suggest an endoscopy, which is an internal examination using a camera.

It can also distinguish between a primary allergy to chicken eggs and cross-reactions to very similar proteins in other types of bird egg. For instance, duck, goose, turkey or quail eggs.

3. Egg allergies can cause IgE, mixed IgE or non-IgE reactions.IgE reactions usually develop quickly, while non-IgE reactions can take up to two days to appear. Mixed IgE and non-IgE egg allergies can be more difficult to diagnose since they may not show up in blood results. If it’s still unclear, your healthcare provider may recommend an oral food challenge. This involves eating small amounts of egg in increasing amounts while being watched for a reaction.

4. Depending on your medical history, they may suggest an endoscopy, which is an internal examination using a camera.

Involve children in discussions around food when the time is right. This will help them make decisions about their egg allergy as they get older. Children may sometimes not reveal their lack of understanding, so use simple language.

If your child is still allergic to egg when they get to school, speak to your healthcare provider about putting together an allergy action plan.  It’s important they understand how they can avoid eggs and know what to do if they come into contact with their allergen by mistake.

Here are some basic avoidance measures you can build into your everyday life. Read lots more tips in our food allergy article:

• Be mindful in the kitchen: Store egg-free products separately and clearly label containers to avoid cross-contamination. Ideally if you have egg allergy you should try not to have eggs in your home at all.

2. Vermeide die Verbreitung allergener Erdnussproteine

• Mache es dir zur Gewohnheit, am Tisch zu essen und einen Teller zu verwenden.
• Reinige Küchenoberflächen, an denen Erdnussrückstände vorhanden sein könnten, mit einem Einwegtuch.
• Dasselbe gilt für Pfannen und Utensilien, wenn du mit Erdnüssen kochst.

3. Und achte darauf, sie nicht versehentlich zu essen

• Teile weder Tassen noch Besteck, da Erdnussproteine im Speichel zurückbleiben können.
• Warne auch dein Date, dass du niemanden küssen kannst, nachdem er oder sie Erdnüsse gegessen hat.
• Lasse dich von den Hunden anderer Menschen nicht ablecken, es sei denn, du weißt sicher, dass ihre Besitzerin oder ihr Besitzer erdnussfreies Haustierfutter und Leckerlis kauft.

• Be open about your allergy: Tell friends who are cooking for you. Also the parents of your child’s friends (sharing food, cups or cutlery is a no-no too). If you go on a date, make sure they know about your egg allergy. They may eat something containing egg and not realize how it could affect you if you kiss.
• Be prepared when you eat out: Tell the restaurant about your egg allergy in advance so the kitchen staff are aware. Mention it again while ordering and when your meal arrives. Self-service buffets and salad bars could pose a risk of cross-contamination, so try to avoid these.
• Be organized when you travel: Bring your own food or ask for an egg-free meal on planes, trains and buses. Use disposable wipes on surfaces before eating and keep your allergy medicine, with spares, close-by. You may need a doctor’s note for customs and security explaining why you’re carrying it. Talk to your healthcare provider if you need a vaccine to travel. Some contain egg.

• Be prepared when you eat out: Tell the restaurant about your egg allergy in advance so the kitchen staff are aware. Mention it again while ordering and when your meal arrives. Self-service buffets and salad bars could pose a risk of cross-contamination, so try to avoid these.
• Be organized when you travel: Bring your own food or ask for an egg-free meal on planes, trains and buses. Use disposable wipes on surfaces before eating and keep your allergy medicine, with spares, close-by. You may need a doctor’s note for customs and security explaining why you’re carrying it. Talk to your healthcare provider if you need a vaccine to travel. Some contain egg.

Some vaccines contain egg, for instance the one for yellow fever. The flu vaccine doesn’t anymore, so if you’re allergic to eggs you should be able to have it.

Ask your healthcare provider for advice. They may suggest a skin prick test to check if you could be allergic to egg before taking certain vaccines.

You can’t cure allergy but there is a process that aims to change the way your immune system reacts to egg. It’s known as desensitization and it involves repeated exposure to your allergen over time.

• Egg oral immunotherapy: There are no FDA approved egg oral immunotherapy treatments and it’s only available at some specialist allergy centers. You eat increasing small amounts of egg which may eventually increase your tolerance and reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction from accidental exposure. You would still need to avoid eggs. And results vary for different people.
• Food ladders: This therapy gradually reintroduces foods containing egg. Over time the quantity increases and you progress from thoroughly heated forms of egg, such as baked goods, to less processed foods.

• Egg oral immunotherapy: There are no FDA approved egg oral immunotherapy treatments and it’s only available at some specialist allergy centers. You eat increasing small amounts of egg which may eventually increase your tolerance and reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction from accidental exposure. You would still need to avoid eggs. And results vary for different people.
• Food ladders: This therapy gradually reintroduces foods containing egg. Over time the quantity increases and you progress from thoroughly heated forms of egg, such as baked goods, to less processed foods.

Contact with a food allergen carries the risk of causing a severe allergic reaction affecting your whole body. So these treatments are always undertaken with the utmost care. There is currently no FDA approved therapy. Speak to your healthcare provider to find out more.

Egg allergy symptoms can vary from mild skin inflammation to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Different types of bird eggs can cause allergic reactions but hen egg is one of the most common food allergies in children. Milder symptoms may respond to antihistamine. Epinephrine is the main medication used to treat anaphylaxis. But cutting egg out of your diet is the main way to lower the risk of symptoms. Speak with your healthcare provider for advice on all of this and on possible long-term treatments.