Allergies Food Allergies Common Types Hazelnut Allergy: Symptoms, Tests, and Treatment By Jeanette Bradley Jeanette Bradley is a noted food allergy advocate and author of the cookbook, "Food Allergy Kitchen Wizardry: 125 Recipes for People with Allergies" Learn about our editorial process Jeanette Bradley Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel More, MD on August 03, 2020 Daniel More, MD, is a board-certified allergist and clinical immunologist. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and currently practices at Central Coast Allergy and Asthma in Salinas, California. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel More, MD Updated on November 20, 2020 Print Verywell / Zorica Lakonic Table of Contents View All Hazelnut Uses Symptoms Birch Pollen Allergy Treatment 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. Where Hazelnuts are Found Hazelnuts can grow almost anywhere in the continental United States, but most people purchase them in stores. You'll find hazelnuts: Packaged by themselvesIn mixed nut snacksIn confections such as pralineIn chocolate nut spreads like NutellaIn Frangelico hazelnut liqueur Tree Nut Allergy Diet Guide Hazelnut Allergy Symptoms If you have an allergy to hazelnuts, symptoms can occur within two hours of consuming hazelnuts or food containing them. Symptoms 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 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. 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: TinglingItchingSwelling of the lips, tongue, and throat These symptoms may be treated with an over-the-counter antihistamine such as Benadryl. After taking an antihistamine, you should be monitored for the next few hours in case more serious allergic symptoms develop. Occasionally, some people with oral allergy syndrome have more severe reactions that may include: RashesDelayed gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal cramps, diarrhea)Very rarely, anaphylaxis These more severe, full-body reactions require immediate treatment with the drug epinephrine. Treating 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. Managing Your Food Allergy 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 case of a severe reaction. A Word From Verywell Nuts are one of the eight most common food allergies in the United States and 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, don't 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. Living With a Food 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 process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mcwilliam V, Koplin J, Lodge C, Tang M, Dharmage S, Allen K. The prevalence of tree nut allergy: A systematic review. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2015;15(9):54. doi:10.1007/s11882-015-0555-8 Lomas JM, Järvinen KM. Managing nut-induced anaphylaxis: challenges and solutions. J Asthma Allergy. 2015;8:115–123. doi:10.2147/JAA.S89121 Muluk NB, Cingi C. Oral allergy syndrome. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2018;32(1):27-30. doi:10.2500/ajra.2018.32.4489 Geroldinger-Simic M, Zelniker T, Aberer W, et al. Birch pollen-related food allergy: clinical aspects and the role of allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(3):616-22.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.027 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 Brown JC. Epinephrine, auto-injectors, and anaphylaxis: Challenges of dose, depth, and device. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2018;121(1):53-60. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2018.05.001 Additional Reading NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel, Boyce JA, Assa'ad A, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy in the United States: report of the NIAID-sponsored expert panel. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(6 Suppl):S1-S58. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.007 Webber CM, England RW. Oral allergy syndrome: a clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenge. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010;104(2):101-117. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2009.11.007