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What Causes Swollen Eyes And Headache After Eating?
I have an employee that is Korean, she ate lunch and her eyes became swollen, she said she can barely see, they are tearing up but not itchy. It is giving her a headache. She said they started to swell after she ate lunch. She had pasta salad, banana and potato chips. I don't know if its a food allergy but I am going to send her home. Not sure if this is urgent that I should be sending her to a doctor. She said her chest is itchy and tight as well. I am giving you her email so she can get the result directly from you.
Tue, 1 Sep 2015
Hello,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic. I read your query and I understand your concern.
Actually the signs and symptoms you are referring indicate an allergy(angioedema), and in the case of your employee it may be food allergy. I would recommend her to go to the ER (Emergency Room), to be checked from the local doctors, because the edema (swallowing) may proceed to the respiratory routes and may cause difficulty breathing.
The health care provider will make a physical exam, which might reveal abnormal sounds (stridor) when she breathes in if her throat is affected.
Normally if the symptoms are mild she may not need treatment. Moderate to severe symptoms may need to be treated and regarding breathing difficulty is considered an emergency condition.
Angioedema may be caused by an allergic reaction. During the reaction, histamine and other chemicals are released into the bloodstream. The body releases histamine when the immune system detects a foreign substance called an allergen. The health care provider may perform blood tests or allergy testing in order to find out the culprit.
After it is determined the allergen , she has to avoid it.
Hope I helped with my answer. For further concerns or follow up questions feel free to ask again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Ina
Welcome to Healthcare Magic. I read your query and I understand your concern.
Actually the signs and symptoms you are referring indicate an allergy(angioedema), and in the case of your employee it may be food allergy. I would recommend her to go to the ER (Emergency Room), to be checked from the local doctors, because the edema (swallowing) may proceed to the respiratory routes and may cause difficulty breathing.
The health care provider will make a physical exam, which might reveal abnormal sounds (stridor) when she breathes in if her throat is affected.
Normally if the symptoms are mild she may not need treatment. Moderate to severe symptoms may need to be treated and regarding breathing difficulty is considered an emergency condition.
Angioedema may be caused by an allergic reaction. During the reaction, histamine and other chemicals are released into the bloodstream. The body releases histamine when the immune system detects a foreign substance called an allergen. The health care provider may perform blood tests or allergy testing in order to find out the culprit.
After it is determined the allergen , she has to avoid it.
Hope I helped with my answer. For further concerns or follow up questions feel free to ask again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Ina
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