1. Watch for Skin Reactions
Within minutes of ingesting milk products, you may notice certain reactions beginning to happen on the skin. Rashes, hives and eczema are very common and may last anywhere from several minutes to several days. In most cases, skin reactions to milk allergies are pretty mild in nature. You can treat skin reactions by simply waiting for them to go away on their own, by taking an over-the-counter antihistamine or by getting a prescription for corticosteroids if the reaction lasts more than a day.
2. Pay Attention to Your Breathing
Respiratory reactions are also fairly common in milk allergies and can appear anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after ingesting milk products. Congestion, a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, coughing and wheezing are all things you may experience if you're having a reaction to milk. These symptoms usually last for several hours and often require treatment with an antihistamine in order to restore comfort. Some people actually experience symptoms of asthma after they ingest milk and need to have prescription inhalers on hand to treat reactions.
3. Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Diarrhea is the most common gastrointestinal symptom you can get from milk if you're allergic to it. This unpleasant symptom usually doesn't appear until about a day after ingesting milk products, and it can last for hours or up to a day or more. You may also experience nausea, gas, bloating and generalized abdominal discomfort for a day or more after consuming milk. You can take antacids to treat some of these symptoms, but time is the only surefire way to get rid of the discomfort. If you're having diarrhea, be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
4. Symptoms of Milk Allergies in Infants
Infants are more susceptible to milk allergies than adults. Since the systems of infants are still developing, and they can't tell us when they're uncomfortable, their symptoms have some differences from those of adults. Colic, excessive crying, refusing to eat, vomiting and gagging are all symptoms of a milk allergy that are exhibited by infants. Infants who are allergic to cow's milk will need to either breast feed or take a soy milk-based formula.
