Kiwi Allergy - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and More

Overview

Kiwi is a very famous and delicious fruit; it is also called “Chinese Gooseberry”. Despite its amazing taste, it can be a cause of Kiwi allergy in some people.

This article aims to guide you about kiwi allergy symptoms, causes, treatment, and much more about this. Keep reading to learn more.

An allergic reaction to kiwi is a local allergic reaction; it usually occurs around the mouth, tongue, lips, and throat. The symptoms are usually mild, and an affected person can feel itchiness around the mouth.

Kiwi Allergy Symptoms

Kiwi Fruit can cause an allergic reaction and oral allergy. It may be a local reaction and can cause itchiness around the lips, throat, tongue, and mouth.

The allergic person can also feel rashes in the area where the kiwi fruit met the skin. Sometimes a person does not react to eating kiwi fruit for the first time. Some people can face severe allergic reactions after eating kiwi fruit for the first time.

Mostly kiwi fruit does not cause severe allergic reactions, these are rare conditions. Following are the symptoms of severe allergic reactions by kiwi:

Tingling: A severe allergic reaction can cause tingling in the throat and mouth, which can also cause swelling.
Breathing difficulty: The infected person can also have the problem of breathing. Sometimes a person will need oxygen to overcome breathing difficulties.
Pain in the abdomen: The patient feels severe abdominal pain due to the infection.
Vomiting: Kiwi allergy can also cause vomiting in the infected patient.
Diarrhea: It is also an important symptom of kiwi allergy.
Low blood pressure: The blood pressure of an affected person drops suddenly which can also be a cause of death.
Dizziness: A person feels dizzy after getting infected by a kiwi allergy.
Unconsciousness: Sometimes the patient can lose consciousness due to a severe allergic reaction.

Slices of kiwi fruit table for the concept of Kiwi Allergy.

Causes

Allergic reaction to kiwi occurs when the immune system considers the protein in the fruit as a harmful substance. The protein present in kiwi is similar to the protein present in other different fruits. These are as follows:

Different smoothies
Tropical varieties of fruit salads are frozen fruits that are prepackaged.
Latex is known as latex fruit syndrome
Pollen fruit is known as pollen syndrome.
Ice creams that contain fruits that may have kiwi in them
Avocado
Banana
Peach
Apple
Chestnut
Olives
Pineapple
Papaya
Wheat
Potato
Carrot
Hazelnut

If you are sensitive to kiwi, you may also react to these foods because they have similar proteins. Avoid these foods and make proper management to prevent your allergy. Contact your doctor immediately when you get allergy symptoms at the initial stage.

What to Avoid?

Green kiwi (Hayward kiwi) is the most common kiwi worldwide. Green kiwi and gold kiwi can cause an allergic reaction after eating them.

People should not eat all fruits without consulting a doctor or an allergist. They should ask the doctor or an allergist what fruits they should eat. The allergist will suggest you the fruit which will help you to prevent an allergic reaction.

Avoid foods and drinks because they include kiwi, which can cause an allergic reaction.

Kiwi is also used in places where we do not expect it. Different people use kiwi for tenderizing their meat. Before buying any food, must read all the ingredients to prevent allergic reactions.

All restaurants should make their management aware of the people severely allergic to kiwi. The chiefs working in the restaurant’s kitchen should prepare the food without mixing kiwi fruit. They should make sure that they are preparing their food by using other different techniques of cooking.

Diagnosis of Kiwi Allergy

Kiwi allergies have severe allergic reactions in children, compared to adults. Therefore, you need immediate proper medical attention when the symptoms occur.

If the allergic reaction was severe in the past, there are more likely severe allergic reactions in the future. If the allergic symptoms are mild, there are more chances of severe allergic reactions in the future. Based on symptoms, the allergist will decide what type of test is to be conducted.

The test is two types of; skin prick test and blood test also. At the same time, the results of these tests are partially helpful.

When to see a doctor

It is best to consult a doctor or allergy specialist as soon as you suspect you have a food allergy. Anyone who experiences a tingling or prickly sensation in their mouth or throat after eating kiwi should consult a doctor. Because this could be the first sign of an allergic reaction to the fruit.

A healthcare professional can perform a series of tests to diagnose the allergy. They will also be able to determine how severe it is and whether the person has other related allergies.

In severe cases, the doctor may advise carrying antihistamines or an EpiPen with them.

Kiwi Allergy Treatment

Treatment of the symptoms of kiwi allergy is essential. Otherwise, the symptoms of the allergy will get severe. The most important and easy way of treatment is to avoid eating kiwi or drinking kiwi shakes.

Different injections can also relieve the allergic severity, known as adrenaline injections. In case of any emergency, you should go to the hospital to consult with a doctor and for taking emergency medical treatment.

In anaphylaxis, the doctor will recommend the patients carry antihistamine medications with them. These are over-the-counter medicines that help to prevent the reaction on the spot.

Doctors always advise patients to visit the hospital for a complete checkup to treat the reaction immediately if it occurs. Adrenaline injection can be used easily by the patient after training from a medical practitioner.

Conclusion

Kiwi is a popular and nutritious fruit; many people are allergic to it. Kiwi can cause mild OAS symptoms such as tingling, itching, or swelling of the mouth and throat. On the other hand, a true kiwi allergy can cause breathing problems, gastric issues, loss of consciousness, and even death.

Seeing an allergist as soon as symptoms appear is the best way to avoid allergic reactions. These specialists can usually determine what the person is allergic to. They suggest ways to avoid triggers and prescribe appropriate treatments.

If you have any questions and need any help with this article, you may contact us without any hesitation. We are always here for your guidance and help, stay healthy!