Other conditions with symptoms similar to food allergies
Other conditions that cause symptoms similar to food allergies include:
- Food intolerance. A food intolerance may cause similar symptoms, but they are not the result of an immune system response.
- Inflammatory bowel disease, an ongoing inflammation of the intestines that can cause abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea.
- Pyloric stenosis, a condition in babies that causes them to vomit most or all of their feedings.
- Pancreatic insufficiency, which occurs when digestive enzymes cannot leave the pancreas.
- Food poisoning, which occurs when a person eats or drinks contaminated food.
- Irritable bowel syndrome, a common digestive problem that causes episodes of abdominal pain, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation.
- Chronic idiopathic urticaria, which causes daily or almost daily raised red bumps (wheals) and itching for at least 6 weeks without a known cause.
Some medicines can cause side effects that are similar to the symptoms of food allergies.
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: April 5, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology | |
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