Gurdev (Dave) Judge MD, an Allergist
Board Certified in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Board Certified in Pediatrics
Allergy Doctor, Specializing in Pediatrics and Adult

Cary Office: (919) 859-5966
North Raleigh: (919) 870-6440
Wake Forest: (919) 562-7195
Accepting New Patients

Gurdev (Dave) Judge MD, an Allergist

Board Certified in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Board Certified in Pediatrics
Allergy Doctor, Specializing in Pediatrics and Adult
Cary Office: (919) 859-5966
North Raleigh: (919) 870-6440
Wake Forest: (919) 562-7195
Accepting New Patients
Request an Appointment

Dr. Judge an Allergist, was Trained at Duke University Medical Center as a Allergy Doctor
Food Allergy, Oral Allergy to Fruits and Vegetables, EoE, Celiac or Gluten & Lactose Intolerance
Practicing in Cary, Raleigh & Wake Forest

Food Allergy

Food allergy symptoms occur most often in babies and children but can appear at any age. Foods that you have eaten for years without problems can cause allergies. An allergy occurs when something causes your body's natural defenses to overreact. Some 40-50 million Americans have an allergy of some kind, but food allergies are rare. Up to 4 percent of adults have food allergies.

 
Food Allergy Symptoms
 

Some mild food allergy symptoms may be caused by a food sensitivity rather than an allergic reaction. An allergist can help determine if it is a true allergic reaction. Shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts are the most common food allergens for adults. Milk, eggs, soy, wheat, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts are the most common food allergens for children. An allergic reaction to food, often called food allergies, can cause mild to serious symptoms such as:

  • Hives or itchy skin rash
  • Swelling of the eyes, lips, tongue and throat
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Indigestion
  • Diarrhea
  • Headaches
  • Coughing, wheezing or flare-up Asthma
  • Stuffy nose, sneezing and runny nose




Oral Allergy to Fruits & Vegetables

 
Overview
 

If you suffer from hay fever and you've ever experienced an itchy mouth or scratchy throat after eating certain raw fruits or vegetables and some tree nuts, you may have oral allergy syndrome symptoms. Oral allergy syndrome, also known as pollen-food syndrome,is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits, vegetables, or some tree nuts. The immune system recognizes the pollen and similar proteins in the food and directs an allergic response to it. People affected by oral allergy syndrome can usually eat the same fruits or vegetables in cooked form because the proteins are distorted during the heating process, so that the immune system no longer recognizes the food. Oral allergy syndrome typically does not appear in young children; the onset is more common in older children, teens, and young adults who have been eating the fruits or vegetables in question for years without any problems. Those with oral allergy syndrome typically have allergy to birch, ragweed, or grass pollens.

 
Oral allergy syndrome symptoms
 
  • Symptoms of oral allergy syndrome include itchy mouth, scratchy throat, or swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat. Itchy ears are sometimes reported. The symptoms are usually confined to one area and do not normally progress beyond the mouth. Because the symptoms usually subside quickly once the fresh fruit or raw vegetable is swallowed or removed from the mouth, treatment is not usually necessary.

Food Intolerance

 

Food intolerances differ from a food allergy, as the immune system is not involved when a person is intolerant to a food. Two common intolerances, lactose intolerance

 
  • Lactose Intolerance

    Lactose intolerance occurs when an individual's small intestine does not produce enough of the lactase enzyme. Therefore, affected individuals are not able to digest lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products. The symptoms of lactose intolerance typically occur within 30 minutes to 2 hours after ingesting dairy products. Large doses of dairy may cause increased symptoms.The lack of lactase enzyme causes abdominal gas, diarrhea and abdominal cramping.

  • Celiac Disease (gluten enteropathy)

    An adverse reaction to gluten is known as celiac disease or "celiac sprue". This disease requires a lifelong restriction of gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley, and perhaps oats. These grains and their by-products must be strictly avoided by people with celiac disease.Celiac disease causes damage to the lining of the small intestine, which prevents the proper absorption of nutrients in foods. This is turn can cause a person with Celiac disease to become malnourished.Celiac disease can cause many symptoms, including bloating and gas, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, itchy skin rash, and pale mouth sores, to name a few. The symptoms may vary amongst affected individuals.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)

 
Overview
 

Eosinophilic esophagitis, also known as EE or EoE, is an allergic inflammatory disease and typically chronic disorder that affects from one to four of every 10,000 people in the United States. It is a recently recognized disease with increasing diagnoses, resulting in part from growing awareness of the condition. An estimated 50 percent of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis also have seasonal allergies or asthma. Many others also have food allergies or eczema. Some patients note a seasonal flare up of the condition, typically in the spring and in the summer.

Anaphylaxis (allergic reaction)

 
What is anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis and throat swelling is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. This serious reaction happens within seconds to minutes after you take the drug, bee sting or food allergy. With this type of reaction:

You may experience:
 
  • Feeling of faintness
  • Severe apprehension
  • Swelling of mouth, lips, tongue or throat
  • Rash or swellings anywhere on body
  • Difficulty with breathing, talking or swallowing
  • Cough and/or wheeze
  • Blue lips, loss of consciousness

Laryngeal Edema (Throat Swelling)

  • Feeling of a severe lump in the throat
  • Feeling that the throat is narrowed
  • Choking sensation
  • Breathing becomes labored
  • Breathing becomes noisy
  • Harsh sound from the throat or whistling from the chest)
  • Lips may become blue (signifying obstruction to the oxygen supply)