Allergy > Understanding Allergy > Allergy Symptoms > Symptoms of Dairy Allergy

The Symptoms of Dairy Allergy

Did you ever notice feeling a bit weird after eating something like cheese? Have you ever experienced suffering minutes or hours after drinking products with dairy in it? If you answered yes, then you probably have dairy allergy.

Dairy allergy is defined as having an abnormal immunologic response of the body to the elements of cow, goat, or sheep’s milk, specifically proteins. It is one of the top 8 most common allergen in the U.S. The common allergens in a cow’s milk are Casein and Whey. The curd that forms when the milk is left to sour is called Casein. On the other hand, Whey is the watery part that remains when curd is removed.  The primary allergen of cheese, Casein, composes 80% of protein in milk. Whey, the other 20%, has two allergenic proteins.

There is confusion as to how you determine whether you are allergic to dairy products or you are just experiencing intolerance. Dairy allergy happens because of the immune system’s reaction towards any element of the dairy product. Dairy intolerance, on the other hand, occurs because the digestive system is incapable of releasing certain enzymes that will digest the food, causing reactions such as diarrhea. It might be hard to tell what the difference between the two is; that what you are experiencing is allergy not intolerance. To give you even a small idea on the difference of the two, here are the common symptoms of dairy intolerance which you may compare with the allergy symptoms later:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal bloating
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

If you want to know exactly what is happening to you right away, if it is an allergy or not, you may go to the doctor and undergo some tests.
So going back to allergy towards dairy, what are the symptoms that may arise if you take in any products with dairy? Basically, reactions affect the skin, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, and respiratory tract. Reactions may occur minutes to hours after exposure to the allergens, and may last within 24 hours. If you go through any of the following symptoms, it is probable that you have dairy allergy:

• You go through digestive problems such as loose bowel movement, diarrhea, or constipation after eating dairy products.
• You suffer from belly cramps.
• You vomit after consumption of foods with dairy.
• You experience nausea.
• You feel out of breath whenever you eat even a minimal amount of dairy products.
• You get eczema (lesions in the skin which may be accompanied by exudates).
• You experience reflux, heartburn or indigestion.
•   If you have severe allergy to dairy, you may suffer from anaphylaxis. In anaphylaxis, there is inflammation of the mouth, throat, and airways, leading to difficulty in breathing. Moreover, blood pressure will drop drastically. This may cause dizziness or passing out, and eventually, shock.

Other more uncommon symptoms that may occur are as follows:

• Appearance of acne in your face and other parts of the body
• Sudden feeling of anxiety.
• Sinus attack
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis