Have you heard about Chinese Restaurant Syndrome?

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Chinese restaurant syndrome refers to a variety of symptoms that some people experience after eating food from a Chinese restaurant. A food additive known as monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been responsible for the symptoms experience after eating Chinese food by some people. However, there exists little scientific evidence revealing a link between MSG and these symptoms in humans.

MSG is a food additive used to enhance the taste of food. MSG has become a vital additive for the food industry due to the fact that it allows the use of little fresh ingredients without compromising reported flavor. MSG is like glutamate, a substance which is naturally present in almost all foods.

Symptoms

Nausea
Fatigue
Headache
Sweating
Flushed skin
Burning in the mouth and the throat
Chest pain
Fast heartbeat
Breathing difficulty
Swollen face and throat

Causes
The main cause of Chinese restaurant syndrome is reaction or sensitivity to monosodium glutamate (MSG) used as food additive. It may also be as a result of sensitivity to foods that naturally contain high levels of glutamate.

Diagnosis

The doctor will evaluate the symptoms and dietary intake to know if there is sensitive to foods containing MSG.
Electrocardiogram may be order in cases of severe symptoms such as chest pain breathing difficulty to check for heart rate and see if the airway is blocked.

Treatment

Using pain relieve medications to ease headache
Excessive intake of water to flush out MSG
Using antihistamine medications to relieve severe symptoms such as breathing difficulty, swollen throat
Avoid intake of food known to contain MSG.