Gas and stomach pain after eating may be a sign of a food allergy or intolerance. If you are allergic to specific foods, you will develop other symptoms along with gas and stomach pain. Food intolerances primarily cause digestive symptoms and are more common than food allergies. A food allergy differs from food intolerance because food allergies are an immune system reaction, while food intolerance is a defect in the digestive system, according to MayoClinic.com.
Food Intolerance
Gas and stomach pain are common symptoms of food intolerances. The most common food intolerances are to lactose, gluten and food additives, such as MSG. If you have an intolerance towards a specific food, it is because your digestive system cannot properly digest the proteins or sugars in the food, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. When you eat or drink something, your small intestines produce enzymes to break down sugars and proteins that are too complex for the body to absorb. If you lack the appropriate enzymes, you will have intolerance towards that specific food or ingredient.
Food Allergy
Food allergies are less common than food intolerances and will affect other parts of your body aside from just the gastrointestinal tract. A food allergy is a malfunction of the immune system. The immune system mistakes the proteins in the food as potentially dangerous to the body and attempts to fight them off. This causes inflammation and irritation in various parts of the body, such as the digestive system. Aside from the gastric system, a food allergy can affect your lungs, skin and sinus passages, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Symptoms
Symptoms of food intolerance may also include gas, cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Most food intolerance symptoms appear within the first 30 minutes of eating a food you're intolerant of. Other symptoms of a food allergy include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sinus congestion, shortness of breath, wheezing, facial swelling, hives, eczema and general skin irritation. Most food allergy symptoms begin within minutes of eating a food that you're allergic to.
Treatment
The most effective treatment for both conditions is to identify the foods and ingredients that cause the bloating and stomach pain and avoid consuming them. If you eat a food that you've been diagnosed with an allergy toward, you run the risk of developing a severe allergic reaction. Some food intolerances are treatable with medication and supplementation.
