A stuffy nose is not a symptom of lactose intolerance. Lactose-intolerance symptoms develop and affect the digestive system exclusively. If you've been diagnosed with lactose intolerance and you develop a stuffy nose, or nasal congestion after you consume dairy products, you may have a milk allergy. A milk allergy and lactose intolerance are two medical conditions that are confused with one another. Talk with your doctor to determine the exact cause of your stuffy nose.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance does not cause nasal congestion. If you're intolerant to lactose, you have a lactase deficiency. Lactase is an enzyme that your small intestines creates to digest lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in cow's milk that cannot be absorbed by your body. If your body doesn't create enough lactase, the lactose will sit in your gut undigested until the bacteria can break it down. This is the cause of lactose intolerant symptoms, such as gas, diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain and nausea. Lactose intolerance does not affect other aspects of your body.
Stuffy Nose
A stuffy nose is primarily caused by allergic reactions, irritants and nasal deformities. Your sinuses are made of soft tissue that can become inflamed and swollen when they are exposed to certain allergens and irritants. When the sinus cavities swell, they restrict your ability to breathe and drain mucus properly. If you have a stuffy nose, you can develop facial tenderness, postnasal drip, sinus pressure, headaches, runny nose and facial pain. To treat a stuffy nose, you need to find the cause.
Milk Allergy
Lactose intolerance and milk allergies are commonly confused. A milk allergy can cause nasal congestion because of increased levels of histamine in the nasal passages. If you're allergic to milk, your immune system mistakes the proteins in the milk as harmful substances. To protect your body, your immune system releases immunoglobulin E and histamine. Histamine is intended to protect against infection, but in high quantities it causes inflammation in soft tissue. Within minutes of consuming dairy products, you can develop a stuffy nose.
Treatment
If you're allergic to milk, you need to remove all dairy products from your diet. If you accidentally consume milk proteins, you can treat your stuffy nose by taking an oral antihistamine and decongestant. The antihistamine will block your body from producing too much histamine; the decongestant will reduce the inflammation in your nasal passages.
