Flaxseed allergies are uncommon, but if an allergic reaction occurs after you eat flaxseeds, you may develop stomach pain. Stomach pain and other digestive symptoms are common with food-related allergies because you ingest the allergen. Flaxseeds are not related to tree nuts or legumes, such as peanuts, and are unrelated to nut allergies. If you only develop stomach pain after eating flaxseeds, you may be experiencing another type of reaction because food allergies cause more than one symptom. Talk with your physician to determine the cause.
Cause
The cause of stomach pains from a flaxseed allergy is increased production of histamine in the lining of the intestines. During the reaction, your immune system identifies the proteins in the flaxseed as potentially dangerous and reacts to them as if they could harm the body. The immune system begins to defend the body by creating immunoglobulin E antibodies that attack the proteins. When these antibodies are present in the body, mast cells produce histamine. Histamine is a chemical that the body creates to prevent infections. Too much histamine in soft tissue causes inflammation.
Symptoms
Stomach pain is just one symptom that will develop in the digestive tract as a result of a flaxseed allergy. The inflammation in the digestive system will also cause abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, gas and bloating. Along with digestive symptoms, you may develop rashes, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest pain, hives, eczema, nasal congestion, runny nose and sinus pressure. In rare cases, you may develop a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction will cause shortness of breath, facial swelling and lightheadedness. Call 911 if you experience these symptoms.
Treatment
Treating stomach pains from a flaxseed allergy is accomplished through allergy testing, diagnosis and prevention. Once you develop stomach pain, you will need to wait for your body to expel the allergen for relief. Once diagnosed, avoid eating flaxseeds or any foods that contain flax byproducts. Flaxseeds are commonly found in breads, health chips and other flour-based foods. Read the ingredients of all foods before consuming them.
Consideration
If you only develop stomach pain from eating flaxseeds, you may have another condition. An allergic reaction will cause other symptoms to develop. Other considerations include irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or ulcers. Your doctor can provide you with a clinical diagnosis.
