If you're lactose intolerant or you've been diagnosed with a milk allergy, dairy products can cause stomach pain along with other symptoms. If you develop stomach pain after consuming dairy products, discontinue eating milk products until you can be evaluated by your doctor. If you eliminate dairy from your diet, talk with your doctor about which foods to eat to ensure you are receiving the proper amount of calcium and vitamin D. Milk is one of the primary sources of these nutrients.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a common condition that causes stomach pain, gas, bloating and cramping. If you're lactose intolerant, your body doesn't produce enough lactase enzymes to break down the lactose found in milk. Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products that is too complex for the body to absorb. Lactase helps simplify the sugar, allowing the body to digest it. If you're lactose intolerant, you will develop symptoms from 20 minutes up to two hours after you ingest milk products, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Dairy Allergy
A dairy allergy is less common than lactose intolerance but will also cause stomach pain after consuming dairy products. The KidsHealth website explains that when you ingest dairy, your immune system experiences a hypersensitivity to the casein and whey proteins found in milk. The body fails to identify the proteins as safe so it creates antibodies and other chemicals to protect the body. During this process, various parts of your body become inflamed, swollen and irritated from the production of these chemicals.
Symptoms
Lactose intolerance symptoms that you may experience along with stomach pain include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, foul-smelling stool and stools that float. If the stomach pain is the result of a dairy allergy, you can also develop shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, skin rashes, hives, eczema, nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, postnasal drip and sinus headaches, according to KidsHealth. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Avoidance
If you're allergic to milk, you will need to eliminate consuming any milk protein. Milk proteins may be found in unlikely places, such as in salad dressings, non-dairy products and candy, according to KidsHealth. Read all ingredients and product labels before you consume a product to make sure it doesn't contain milk. If you're diagnosed with lactose intolerance, you can prevent stomach pain by eating lactose-free dairy products or by taking a lactase enzyme supplement.
