Some Bad Reactions To Milk
Some people can have a physical reaction to milk that is not due to an allergy. If you lack an enzyme called lactase, which breaks down the milk sugar lactose, you can experience symptoms that seem similar to an allergy (diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and gas).
This is called lactose intolerance and is different from milk allergy because it does not involve your immune system reacting to a trigger molecule. Some people also experience excess thick mucus in their throat after eating or drinking dairy products, but this is not caused by an allergy.
Some bad reactions to milk
In the case of milk, the trigger molecules are two milk proteins called whey and casein. You or your child may be allergic to either one of these proteins, or both.
Symptoms that can appear within minutes of having a small amount of milk include:
- raised red bumps of skin – hives (urticaria)
- itchy, red, weeping, or crusty rash of the skin – dermatitis or eczema
- swelling of the face
- wheeze or persistent cough
- vomiting
- diarrhea.
Symptoms that can appear within hours include:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- rashes or eczema.
Symptoms that can appear within days include:
- eczema
- diarrhea
- asthma.
Allergists can test for allergies using a number of methods depending on the type of potential allergy. To test for an allergy, the allergist may:
- do a skin prick test
- do a blood test
- ask you to temporarily avoid all milk or products containing milk (elimination diet), then follow up with the introduction of milk back into your diet (food challenge) under strict medical supervision.
Diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy
If you or your child have allergic symptoms, visit your family doctor who will ask some questions about your reactions. You can also discuss the record of your symptoms. To diagnose your allergy, your doctor may refer you to a specialist doctor, known as an allergist or clinical immunologist.
If your symptoms appear rapidly after eating or drinking milk or dairy products, the allergy may be easier to diagnose, whereas symptoms that take longer to appear to make diagnosis more difficult.
