Also why it’s important to get medical advice as soon as you do spot them. (Both can cause severe reactions as well as stomach cramps). Your healthcare provider can give you practical tips and explain the treatment options. Don’t let nut allergy symptoms hold you back.

Food allergy symptoms can vary from one person to another. But these are some of the telltale signs that you may be allergic to tree nuts or peanuts:

• Skin reactions – an itchy red rash (hives), often raised but not always
• Tingling or itching in the mouth
• Swelling of the face, mouth, throat, or other parts of the body
• Difficulty swallowing
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Feeling dizzy and lightheaded
• Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
• Abdominal pain or diarrhea

Eating a tree nut or peanut by mistake may give you mild nut allergy symptoms. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t have a more serious allergic reaction another time.

The medical name for severe reactions is anaphylaxis and it can affect your whole body. These are the symptoms to watch out for:

• Feeling lightheaded or faint
• Difficulties with breathing, such as fast or shallow breaths
• Wheezing
• A fast heartbeat
• Clammy skin
• Confusion and anxiety
• Collapsing or losing consciousness
• Tingling in the hands, feet, lips or scalp

The risk of it happening may be higher if you’re stressed or unwell or if you’re taking certain medications. Your doctor will advise you about that. It’s rare but exercising just before or after eating nuts can also cause a severe reaction if you’re allergic to them.

Having anaphylaxis once puts you at greater risk of it happening again.

Even tiny traces of allergen can cause nut allergy symptoms. Usually, you’ll know something’s wrong in minutes or even seconds. Sometimes it can take up to two hours after you’ve come into contact with nut protein. With anaphylaxis there can be a second wave of symptoms up to eight hours later.

Call an ambulance if you think you might be having a severe reaction. The same goes, of course, if you recognize the symptoms in someone else. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.

The immune system adapts to new threats, real or otherwise, throughout your life. So it is possible for adults to develop tree nut allergies or peanut allergies, seemingly out of nowhere. But it’s more common for reactions to start in childhood and linger on. An allergy to peanuts may show itself in babies as young as six months old. For tree nuts, it tends to be after the age of one. And kids often don’t grow out of nut allergies.

Children of allergic parents are at greater risk of nut allergy symptoms. There also seems to be a link with egg allergy and with severe eczema. Both make nut allergies more likely.

The immune system adapts to new threats, real or otherwise, throughout your life. So it is possible for adults to develop tree nut allergies or peanut allergies, seemingly out of nowhere. But it’s more common for reactions to start in childhood and linger on. An allergy to peanuts may show itself in babies as young as six months old. For tree nuts, it tends to be after the age of one. And kids often don’t grow out of nut allergies.

Children of allergic parents are at greater risk of nut allergy symptoms. There also seems to be a link with egg allergy and with severe eczema. Both make nut allergies more likely.

Avoidance, as it’s called, is the first step in managing any allergy. It’s vital if your trigger is a tree nut or peanut because of the risk of a severe reaction. Nuts have many uses:

• Food: Nuts may be in plain sight, salted and roasted for snacking, or in nut butter. They’re also a popular ingredient in packaged food and when you’re eating out or at friends’ homes. Read food labels and menus carefully. And always ask if you’re in any doubt. Some alcoholic drinks contain nuts too.

Avoidance, as it’s called, is the first step in managing any allergy. It’s vital if your trigger is a tree nut or peanut because of the risk of a severe reaction. Nuts have many uses:

• Food: Nuts may be in plain sight, salted and roasted for snacking, or in nut butter. They’re also a popular ingredient in packaged food and when you’re eating out or at friends’ homes. Read food labels and menus carefully. And always ask if you’re in any doubt. Some alcoholic drinks contain nuts too.

• Cosmetics and toiletries: Refining almond, peanut and macadamia oil for personal care products changes the proteins. The same goes for shea butter. The risk of nut allergy symptoms is higher with products using cold-pressed oils. Unlike food labels, those on cosmetics and toiletries often use the Latin names for plant-based ingredients. You’ll find a glossary of common allergens in our nut allergy article.
• Pet food: Choose nut-free petfood. That reduces the risk of exposure, both direct and second-hand if the dog licks you after eating.

Tiny traces of nuts can spread easily and widely. Factories may process several different types so cross-contamination is a risk. It may be wise not to eat any tree nuts or peanuts even if you’re allergic to only one nut protein. It’ll help avoid accidental exposure.

Cross-contamination can happen in restaurant kitchens, cafés and ice cream parlors too. So tell people about your allergies and ask if they use nuts. And be careful how you prepare and store food in your own kitchen. Peanut particles can linger in human saliva too. Don’t share cutlery. And ask anyone you plan to kiss not to eat nuts.

Tiny traces of nuts can spread easily and widely. Factories may process several different types so cross-contamination is a risk. It may be wise not to eat any tree nuts or peanuts even if you’re allergic to only one nut protein. It’ll help avoid accidental exposure.

Cross-contamination can happen in restaurant kitchens, cafés and ice cream parlors too. So tell people about your allergies and ask if they use nuts. And be careful how you prepare and store food in your own kitchen. Peanut particles can linger in human saliva too. Don’t share cutlery. And ask anyone you plan to kiss not to eat nuts.

Cross-contamination can happen in restaurant kitchens, cafés and ice cream parlors too. So tell people about your allergies and ask if they use nuts. And be careful how you prepare and store food in your own kitchen. Peanut particles can linger in human saliva too. Don’t share cutlery. And ask anyone you plan to kiss not to eat nuts.