Allergy Or Intolerance

Is it Allergy or Intolerance?

There is considerable confusion between allergy and intolerance. At this clinic we specialise in food intolerance testing. Allergy and intolerance is very different; see below.

The term Allergy is used to describe those cases in which the adverse reaction to food occurs almost immediately, usually within one hour. The reaction is obvious and often quite violent, for example developing a swollen lip or tongue after eating peanuts, or becoming violently sick after eating shellfish. True food allergies are quite rare and affect only a small percentage of the population.

The term Food Intolerance, on the other hand, affects a great number of people. The symptoms of food intolerance rarely occur immediately after the food is eaten. In fact, the reaction is usually delayed by many hours or even several days. For example, the cheese eaten on Monday could be the cause of Wednesday’s asthma attack or Sinusitus. It is these delayed reactions which make the detection of the culprit foods a very difficult task without the help of expert laboratory testing.

Food Intolerance Associated Conditions:

1. Overweight

2. Sinusitis

3. Indigestion

4. Irritable Bowel

5. Arthritis

6. Eczema / acne

7. Recurring cystitis

8. Asthma

9. Hayfever

10. Migraine/Headaches

For specific details about our IgG Antibody test for food intolerance, contact our Dublin clinic. Our tests are also available to buy in our online shop.