Do you or perhaps someone you know break out in hives every time they eat a certain type of food? There is a chance you may be suffering from a food allergy. While some allergies cause a wide range of symptoms, certain signs indicate that it's likely that your food and not another factor. It isn't that you are allergic to everything you ate, but more that likely one of the ingredients doesn't sit to well with your body.

Even though a person could be allergic to any food, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats, there are eight foods that account for almost 90% of all food-allergic reactions. These eight foods include: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut like walnuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.

Food allergy symptoms vary from a tingling sensation in the mouth, swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty breathing, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness to death. They typically appear within just minutes to two hours after you have eaten the allergic food. Here are the six most common symptoms that may lead you and your physician to suspect a food allergy.

Hives - True, food allergies are the only cause for hives. They can be caused by environmental or medication allergies, or sometimes by a combination of factors. Nevertheless, they are still a common symptom of food allergies. Hives look like a red, raised rash, and are extremely itchy. They may appear in clumps of just a few or spread out over a wide area of the body.

Redness or Swelling - Areas of redness and swelling are usually caused by allergies, especially the areas around the lips and face. Shellfish and eggs are among the common allergens that associated with these symptoms.

Allergic rhinitis - Even though allergic rhinitis is often caused by environmental allergens like mold or pollen, it is also a common symptom of some dairy allergies. You should be more willing to consider a food allergy as a possible cause of chronic congestion if some of your symptoms don't improve even during the change in seasons or locations.

Eczema - Eczema or also called atopic dermatitis is an itchy, painful, and scaly rash that usually appears near your face, elbows, and knees. It is often aggravated and brought on by sweat, clothing, or dryness, and it can be difficult to treat. Food like milk, egg, fish, and wheat allergies are common causes of eczema.

Gastrointestinal Distress - Symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and constipation are often warnings of a food allergy, especially with dairy products. Be careful because they are often confused with signs of food intolerances such as lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance. They are two common food intolerances that share these symptoms.

Anaphylaxis - Anaphylaxis is the most serious but the most unmistakable allergy symptom. Also known as Anaphylactic shock, it is a whole-body allergic reaction causing difficulty in breathing due to swelling in the airways and a rapid drop in blood pressure due to dilated blood vessels. Anaphylaxis develops rapidly upon exposure to the allergen that triggers it, so the reason is easily identifiable. Anaphylaxis is a serious medical emergency and shouldn't be taken lightly. Call 911 immediately and administer any rescue medication you may have been prescribed by your physician.