Dizziness, racing heart and pain in your legs are all symptoms of a severe allergic reaction that could cause life-threatening symptoms. If eating chocolate causes these symptoms to develop, stop eating chocolate and call your doctor immediately. The symptoms are the result of a systematic reaction to one or more of the proteins found in the ingredients of the chocolate. Each chocolate product is unique and will need to be assessed by your doctor to determine which ingredient is triggering the reaction.
Chocolate
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that are ground and combined with other ingredients to make a final product. It's possible to have an allergy to cocoa beans, but it is more likely that you're allergic to another ingredient in the product. Many chocolate products contain highly allergic foods, such as milk, nuts, soy and wheat. If you have a known food allergy, read the ingredients of the chocolate product before you consume it. All highly allergic ingredients are required by law to be disclosed on the product's label with a special warning.
Dizziness and Racing Heart
Dizziness and a racing heart are two common signs of a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, according to MedlinePlus. The two symptoms are caused by reactions occurring in your cardiovascular system. During anaphylaxis, your body experiences excessive amounts of chemicals that are attempting to fight off the allergen. This results in constricted and swollen soft tissue. Dizziness may also be accompanied with lightheadedness, fainting and shortness of breath. A racing heart will also cause your pulse to become faint, an alarming symptom. Call 911 if you develop these symptoms.
Leg Pain
During anaphylaxis you may develop pain in any of your muscles. As tiny explosions of histamine occur, your muscles begin to become inflamed. The increased amounts of pressure from muscle inflammation can cause pain. It's also possible that the reduction in blood pressure may cause your legs to feel weak and develop pain. MayoClinic.com states that you should inject yourself with epinephrine if these symptoms develop to prevent further complications.
Identification and Avoidance
The only way to prevent this type of reaction from occurring is to identify which ingredients are triggering the allergic reaction. Once you can identify the ingredient, you will need to avoid consuming that food. For example, if you have a nut allergy, you can continue to eat chocolate that does not contain nuts but you'll have to avoid peanut butter and foods that contain nuts.
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