An allergic reaction to chocolate can cause pain in various parts of the body. Any pain that develops after eating chocolate needs to be discussed and evaluated by your doctor. Because chocolate can contain multiple highly allergic ingredients, keep the wrapper of the chocolate that caused a reaction. Not all chocolates have the same ingredients. Pain may be a sign of a severe allergic reaction that could result in a life-threatening situation.
Sinus Pain
A common place you can develop pain while having an allergic reaction to one or more of the ingredients in chocolate is in the sinuses. During the allergic reaction, the body creates different chemicals to fight off the allergen. Theses chemicals, such as histamine, are released in soft tissue throughout the body, causing inflammation. Inflammation in the sinus cavity will cause severe congestion that will block your ability to breathe and drain mucus through your nose. This causes pressure to build throughout the head, resulting in pain in the eyes, cheeks, forehead and inner ear. You may also develop postnasal drip, facial tenderness and sinus headaches as a result.
Chest Pain
Histamine released in the soft tissue of your lungs, causes constriction in your airways and pressure throughout your chest. You can develop asthmatic symptoms within a few minutes of eating chocolate. The chest pain will be accompanied with tightness, coughing, wheezing, the inability to breathe normally and shortness of breath. Chest pain may be a sign of anaphylaxis, a severe whole-body allergic reaction. Call your doctor immediately if you develop chest pain with hives and facial swelling.
Digestive Pain
After you consume chocolate that contains allergic ingredients, the lining of your small intestines can become inflamed and irritated. Inflammation in the digestive tract will cause minor to severe pain in the abdomen. You may also develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lightheadedness, cramping, bloating and gas as a result. Digestive pain should subside within an hour or two, once the allergen is expelled from the body. If you notice blood in your stool or vomit, call your doctor right away.
Consideration
An allergic reaction to chocolate doesn't necessarily mean you have an allergy to cocoa. Chocolates contain various highly allergic ingredients, such as nuts, wheat, soy, peanuts, milk and eggs. The government requires that each highly allergic ingredient is listed on the label of the food product with an allergy warning.
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