Allergies Food Allergies Common Types Print Hazelnut Allergy: Symptoms, Tests, and Treatment By Jeanette Bradley Updated November 17, 2019 Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on September 26, 2017 Food Allergies Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Coping Maximilian Stock Ltd. / Getty Images In This Article Table of Contents Expand Symptoms Birch Pollen Allergy Treatment View All Hazelnut allergy is one of the most common tree nut allergies. Hazelnuts, which also are called filbert nuts and cobnuts, look a bit like acorns when they're in the shell. These nuts, like other types of tree nuts, can cause food allergy symptoms that range from mild to severe. Hazelnuts can grow almost anywhere in the continental United States, but most people purchase them in stores. You'll find hazelnuts by themselves, in mixed nut snacks, and in confections such as praline. They're also used to make chocolate nut spreads such as the popular product Nutella, and to make Frangelico hazelnut liqueur. Hazelnut Allergy Symptoms If you have an allergy to hazelnuts, symptoms can occur within two hours of consuming hazelnuts or food containing them. Symptoms of hazelnut allergy may include:Hives or eczema on your skinAllergic conjunctivitis in your eyesNausea, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrheaWheezing, coughing or a runny noseSwelling of lips, tongue, or face (known as angioedema)Anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical care Birch Pollen Allergy? You May Also React to Hazelnuts Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is a form of food allergy in which people who are sensitive to specific types of pollen also react to certain foods that are related to those types of pollen. In the case of hazelnuts, many people with birch pollen allergies also react to hazelnuts. The pollen from birch trees and hazelnuts contain allergens that are related, and so your body reacts to both. Symptoms of hazelnut oral allergy syndrome are usually fairly mild and are confined to tingling, itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat. These symptoms may be treated with an over-the-counter antihistamine such as Benadryl. After taking an antihistamine, a person with this condition should be monitored for the next few hours to make sure that more serious allergic symptoms do not develop. Occasionally, some people with oral allergy syndrome have more severe reactions that may include rashes, delayed gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea, or, very rarely, the serious allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. More severe, full-body reactions require immediate treatment with the drug epinephrine. Treatment of Hazelnut Allergy There is no cure for hazelnut allergy. Management of your hazelnut allergy involves avoiding hazelnuts and being prepared for future reactions. Talk to your doctor or allergist if you have any symptoms after eating or touching hazelnuts. You may need allergy testing to determine the severity of your reaction and to determine if you have allergies to other nuts. Do You Need an Epinephrine Auto-Injector? Some people with oral allergy syndrome have only localized reactions that have been successfully treated with antihistamines. However, your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector (commonly referred to by the brand name EpiPen) for you just in case of a more severe reaction. If your doctor prescribes it, you will need to carry your auto-injector with you at all times so that it's available for you to use in the case of a severe reaction. A Word From Verywell Nuts are one of the eight most common food allergies in the United States, and so are covered by current food allergy labeling laws. Food manufacturers are required to list nuts on their ingredient labels in plain English. That makes nuts fairly easy to avoid in packaged foods. A hazelnut allergy warning on an ingredient label should look like this: "Contains Nuts (hazelnuts)." Some foods, such as those served in restaurants or at someone's home, will not come with convenient ingredient lists on them. You should learn to recognize foods that commonly contain nuts. When ordering food in a restaurant, stay safe by always asking questions of your server or asking to speak to the chef about your hazelnut allergy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Costa J, Mafra I, Carrapatoso I, Oliveira MB. Hazelnut Allergens: Molecular Characterization, Detection, and Clinical Relevance. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(15):2579-2605. Muluk NB, Cingi C. Oral allergy syndrome. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2018;32(1):27-30. Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS. Oral Allergy Syndrome: An Update for Stomatologists. J Allergy (Cairo). 2015;2015:543928. doi:10.1155/2015/543928 Kemp SF, Lockey RF, Simons FE; World Allergy Organization ad hoc Committee on Epinephrine in Anaphylaxis. Epinephrine: the drug of choice for anaphylaxis-a statement of the world allergy organization. World Allergy Organ J. 2008;1(7 Suppl):S18–S26. doi:10.1097/WOX.0b013e31817c9338 Additional Reading NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Volume 126, Issue 6, Supplement, Pages S1-S58, December 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "The different faces of hazelnut allergy across Europe." Published online March 14, 2015. Food Allergy Initiative. Tree Nut Allergy. Geroldinger-Simic, M, et al. Birch pollen-related food allergy: Clinical aspects and the role of allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies. J Allergy Clin Immunology. Vol. 127, No. 3 Webber, Christopher and Ronald W. England. Oral allergy syndrome: a clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenge. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010;104:101-108 Continue Reading