Food Allergies
Even the tiniest exposure to something you’re allergic to could send you straight to the emergency room. And when you live with a food allergy, it can affect more than watching what you eat. It can impact your social life, emotional health and daily routines.
But you don’t have to face this alone. Cleveland Clinic’s compassionate experts diagnose and treat food allergies in people of all ages. They also take the time to listen to you so you can feel understood and not nearly as worried.
Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Food Allergy Care?
Trusted experts:
We are a center of excellence for food allergies. Our fellowship-trained providers deliver the highest level of care. We use the latest methods to treat your allergies to nuts, soy, wheat, fish, eggs, milk and more.
Comprehensive treatment:
Our team of providers focus on food allergies’ physical, psychological and emotional impact. This approach helps you feel your best, making it easier to move forward with your life. Meet our team.
Innovation and research:
We’re exploring new treatment methods to reduce allergic reactions to food, including sublingual (under your tongue) immunotherapy and oral immunotherapy for conditions like peanut allergies.
Patient-centered care:
Very young children to adults get personalized food allergy treatment from the same team at all stages of their lives. We also treat people who are allergic to more than one food and people with other allergic conditions, like hay fever (allergic rhinitis), eczema and asthma.
Virtual visits:
Sometimes it’s hard to get to an appointment in person. Virtual visits, make it easier to fit treatment into your busy schedule. All you need is internet access and a computer, tablet or smartphone to meet one-on-one with your providers from the comfort of home.
National recognition:
Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We’re recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.
Food Allergy Diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic
At your first visit with us, it’s important to share what happens when you eat foods that cause reactions (trigger foods). We’ll ask you what and how much you ate, how long it takes for your symptoms to show up, what they are and how long they last.
We’ll also give you allergy testing like a skin test. This means we’ll put different types of allergens on your arms and back and make tiny pricks or scratches on your skin in those same areas. If any of these areas turn red and itchy within 15 minutes, then you’re allergic to that particular thing.
While you’re here, we might also do a blood test to see if you have a higher number of antibodies to different allergens in your blood. That can be another sign of allergic reactions.
Meet Our Food Allergy Team
At Cleveland Clinic, you’ll get lifelong care from a team of skilled healthcare providers who specialize in either pediatric or adult food allergies. This team can care for you at all stages of life, no matter when you start seeing us. Your providers could include:
- Allergists.
- Psychologists.
- Gastroenterologists.
- Dermatologists.
- Rheumatologists.
- Pulmonologists.
- Physician assistants.
- Nurse practitioners.
Providers Who Treat Food Allergies
Locations
Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio and Florida.Food Allergy Treatment at Cleveland Clinic
Once we have a better idea of what you’re allergic to and how you react to it, we can work with you to create a food allergy treatment plan just for you. This plan may include nutrition counseling, medication and emotional support for you and your family.
Diet
Once you know what foods you’re allergic to, the most effective treatment is getting rid of them from your diet. You’ll meet with registered dietitians who understand your unique needs. They provide personalized tips and recommendations, like reading food labels and making safe food substitutions. We want to help you manage your allergies — and meet your nutrition goals.
Medication
We’ll also talk with you about medications that can help stop, prevent or reduce the symptoms of an allergic reaction. These could include:
- Epinephrine like an EpiPen® or Auvi-Q® to immediately reverse the signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
- Antihistamines to help with itching, hives or congestion.
Sublingual immunotherapy
In this treatment, very small doses (drops) of the allergic protein (at amounts too low to cause a reaction) are placed under your tongue daily. You’ll need to be able to hold the drops under your tongue for two minutes then swallow. Studies show that sublingual immunotherapy helps build a tolerance without having allergic reactions.
Counseling
As part of your treatment plan, we might also recommend that you work with our team of trusted psychologists and other mental health providers. They can help you and your family ease the emotional burden that often comes with living with a food allergy. This team will talk with you, listen closely and provide helpful coping methods as you work to make lifestyle changes and learn to manage your allergies.
Taking the Next Step
When you have food allergies, it can be hard to feel comfortable going out to eat, to parties or other events. But you don’t have to avoid social activities or deal with your anxiety alone. You can live a full, healthy life with a food allergy. At Cleveland Clinic, our expert, compassionate team is here for you with the care and support you need to live life on your terms.
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Getting an appointment with Cleveland Clinic’s food allergy experts is easy. We’re here to help you get the care you need.
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