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31 years
My lips burn and sometimes get swollen from the inside everytime I eat. It's been almost 2 weeks now, what could it be?
Oct 26, 2014
2nd opinion

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
The proteins found in some fruits and vegetables are very similar to those found in particular pollen. The immune system in people with food or outdoor allergies can confuse these proteins for pollen proteins and get triggered to attack. The result is called oral allergy syndrome (OAS).
So for example, if an individual is allergic to birch tree pollen, an airborne allergen that causes respiratory allergy symptoms in the springtime, you may also get allergic reactions triggered by items like peach, apple, pear, kiwi, plum, parsley, cherry and carrot. This is known as cross-reactivity, which occurs between distant remnants of tree or weed pollen still found in certain fruits and vegetables.
The most frequent reaction involves itchiness or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue and throat. Symptoms usually appear immediately after eating raw fruits or vegetables, although the reaction can occur more than an hour later.
The body's immune system produces IgE antibodies against pollen; in OAS, these antibodies cross-react with other structurally similar proteins found in botanically related plants. People affected with OAS typically already have a history of allergies (respiratory, like asthma or allergic rhinitis, and/or skin, such as eczema). Often well-cooked, canned, pasteurized or frozen foods cause little to no reaction due to denaturation of the cross-reacting proteins (due to heat or speed freezing).
You may want to consult an allergologist (allergy specialist) to address this issue. A good idea would be to keep a food diary as this will assist the doctor possible culprit food items that may be causing your symptoms. The diagnosis is usually based on a skin prick tests, blood tests, patch tests or oral challenges. When OAS is suspected, the oral challenge test is ideal.
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