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Home Remedy Treatment for Mushroom Allergy Symptoms

People enjoy most of the delicious varieties of mushrooms, adding them to dishes in a countless number of ways. Sometimes their inclusion in a meal is so faint that you may not even realize that you have just eaten a mushroom. To the average person, this would not be a problem, but, if you suffer from mushroom allergies, it can be. There are ways of treating mild mushroom allergies at home without rushing to your nearest emergency room.

  1. Allergy Symptoms

    • Mushroom allergies are rare, but they can be serious, and an allergy attack can come from inhaling airborne particles, by touch, or by ingesting mushrooms. Reaction seriousness varies. In some cases, you may feel as though your heart is racing, and your tongue and lips may become swollen if you ingested the mushroom. You can break into a rash all over your body or suffer from horrible itching, especially where your body came into contact with the mushroom.

    Breathing Difficulty

    • If you are having a mild reaction to mushrooms, but you feel your chest getting tight, or if you are having problems breathing, there are several things you can do. First, remain calm--the more you panic the more severe your symptoms can become. If you need to, you can use a paper lunch bag to breathe into, and ensure you are taking deep enough breaths. You can take an over-the-counter allergy medication (antihistamine) such as Benadryl to reduce the symptoms. If your breathing difficulties are moderate to severe, do not attempt a home remedy--call 911 immediately.

    Hives & Rashes

    • It is common with allergic reactions to break into hives or have a rash over part or most of your body. Take an over-the-counter medication such as Benadryl, or a topical steroid, to counteract the reaction. There are also over-the-counter medications to reduce the itch from hives or a rash. You can use calamine lotion to reduce the itch, or take a long soak in a warm bath with two cups of oatmeal added to the water to stop the itch.

    Tips

    • If you know that you have even minor mushroom allergies, inform restaurants and friends when you are eating out so that you will not come into contact with them. If you start to have a severe reaction to mushrooms, call emergency medical help right away before the condition worsens--and carry an epinephrine pen if you know you have such an allergy.

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