Nickel is a silvery-white metal that is found abundant on planet earth. They are combined with other metals to produce compounds. As one can see, nickel is found in many common, everyday items that include coins, costume jewelry, girdle fasteners, zippers, utensils, and tools. Nickel appears to be one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis: a skin rash or irritation.
This may occur when substances made of nickel comes into contact with your skin and leads to a blister or a rash. These reactions are often referred to as contact dermatitis, a more classic allergic reaction to susceptible individuals who are more easily sensitized to nickel.
Can Nickel Allergy Cause Stomach Problems?
Suspected systemic nickel allergy syndrome is often characterized by contact dermatitis associated with systemic symptoms after ingestion of foods containing nickel. Clinical trials were conducted on a group of twenty patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. So they were subjected to permeability tests. These patients were fed with low-nickel diet and their conditions were monitored before and after three months of this period. The results showed that low-nickel-diet induced significant improvements in the gastrointestinal symptoms.
However, patients with irritable bowel syndrome who followed normal routine encountered nausea, heartburn or acid indigestion, meteorism (an accumulation of gas in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract which causes a sensation of bloating and abdominal distension), abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. Moreover, these patients also had problems with systemic cutaneous lesions.
Several studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS have a considerably impaired health-related lifestyle and decreased work efficiency.[2]
How Nickel Impacts The Digestive Tract And Leads To Problems?
Systemic nickel allergy syndrome can have cutaneous, and/or gastrointestinal signs and symptoms. As you know the digestive tract is a highly specialized extension of the skin therefore when something affects your skin, it eventually impacts your digestive system as well. When there is an impact on the digestive tract, it leads to several complications that include severe pain in the abdominal area, changes in the bowel movement, and other digestive problems. People who are sensitive to nickel can often trigger an inflammatory reaction and experience these symptoms.[3]
Can Allergies Cause Headaches?
Headaches are one of the most common conditions. Medical studies state that at least 70 to 80 percent of individuals undergo headaches, and nearly forty to fifty percent of individuals experience once in a month. Some of the common allergies that lead in headache are
Allergic Rhinitis– This may occur with a sinus headache, nasal congestion, and lacrimation and may worsen with weather changes and exposure to allergens. Headache can also be caused by severe nasal congestion.
Food Allergies With Regard To Nickel- Certain foods that contain nickel content can cause migraines and severe headaches shortly after consumption. People who have food tolerance issue often suffer from headaches when they have food rich in fat and nickel.
Histamine- Individuals who have intolerance towards histamine generally suffer from headaches and migraines. A DAO deficiency may increase histamine levels in the blood and subsequently cause a migraine.
In severe cases, nickel allergy syndrome can also cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.[4]
Symptoms Of Nickel Allergy
Nickel allergy arises when individuals get exposed to substances containing nickel on repeated or prolonged exposure. When you are diagnosed with nickel allergy, it is often suggested to put an end to, whenever possible, exposure to nickel and nickel-containing items. Generally, nickel allergy occurs after hours of exposure to this silvery-white metal and may last for perhaps two to four weeks. The most common signs of nickel allergy include
- Rashes and blisters in the skin
- On severe case result in itchiness
- Redness or the skin shows changes in the color
- Chronic Abdominal pain.[1]
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Nickel Allergy https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5216640/
- The Connection between nickel allergies and digestive problems https://ibstreatmentcenter.com/2012/08/the-connection-between-nickel-allergies-digestive-problems.html
- Nickel Allergy – Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17842-nickel-allergy
- Can allergies cause headache https://www.healthline.com/health/allergy-headache
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