An allergic reaction to milk is the body's immune response to the protein that is present in this nutrient fluid. In most cases, its appearance is provoked by goat and cow milk. After all, they contain at least 80% casein (milk protein).
Today, about 5% of children are intolerant to the main component of milk. Moreover, an allergy occurs immediately after the use of this nutrient fluid or after 1-2 days. In an infant, a reaction to protein occurs within a few hours after administration, in an adult, the symptoms of such an ailment are less pronounced.
Factors that provoke an allergic reaction
Protein intolerance often occurs due to a lack of ability to break down lactose into galactose and glucose. Unsplit milk sugar causes bloating, intestinal fermentation, and abdominal pain. Therefore, intolerance may not be associated with milk protein, but with lactose.
Hypersensitivity to the protein of the nutrient fluid is due to casein or other components. There are at least twenty similar ingredients in milk (alpha-lactoglobulin, beta-lactoglobulin, lipoproteins and others).
Protein intolerance to a dairy product can occur for various reasons. The main ones are considered to be:
- violation of regulatory functions;
- genetic predisposition to an allergic reaction (increased sensitivity may be in close relatives);
- hormonal disruptions;
- infectious pathologies of a chronic form;
- stresses, strong feelings and nervous exhaustion.
When milk enters the body of a person suffering from intolerance to its main components, a protective immune response is activated. Antibodies present in the blood bind to the antigen. In this case, the formed immune complexes begin to throw out substances that provoke the development of inflammatory processes in various tissues. As a result of this, signs of allergy appear.
Symptoms of milk protein intolerance in adults
It should be noted that casein is present in the milk of many animals. But most of this protein is in the cow's drink. That is why an allergic reaction in hypersensitive people can occur on the nutrient fluid of any artiodactyls. It goes without saying that with milk intolerance, an allergy will also arise for products made from it - butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream and others. If there is hypersensitivity to a protein such as alpha-lactalbumin, a cross-reaction to beef may occur.
Intolerance to protein of cow's milk, the symptoms of which are pronounced, manifests itself as follows:
- In different parts of the body, a rash, redness of the skin, itching and swelling appear.
- Quite often, with an allergic reaction, constipation, bloating, cramping, flatulence, pain, symptoms of gastritis are disturbing.
- There is swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, nose, and in extremely severe cases - the lungs, a runny nose may occur, mucus secretion, sneezing may increase, shortness of breath appears.
Similar symptoms of protein intolerance in adults are found in all types of food allergies, so you must first identify the connection with the use of dairy products. It is not so difficult to do this, after eating cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, you simply observe your well-being. It must be remembered that protein intolerance in severe cases can lead to suffocation, swelling of the larynx, pressure drops, in other words, cause anaphylactic shock. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
Infant intolerance to cow's milk protein: symptoms
In young children, the immune system reacts differently to dairy products. It can be fast, in other words, appear within a few minutes after the allergen enters the baby’s body, and slow - develop within 1-2 days. At the same time, various systems and organs can be involved in the inflammation process.
An allergy to milk protein can cause a baby:
- flatulence;
- mucous and foamy diarrhea;
- loss of appetite;
- colic
- burping and even vomiting.
In infants up to a year, intestinal disorders occur in a more severe form than in adults and older children. Such violations can last about 3 days until the allergen ceases to penetrate the body.
Protein intolerance can lead to negative reactions from the respiratory system: sneezing, dry allergic cough, nasal congestion. These symptoms are often mistaken for bronchitis, adenoids, tracheitis and other pathologies.
The most dangerous manifestation of allergies is anaphylaxis, which develops almost instantly after drinking a cow's drink. In this condition, the baby's face swells, the skin turns pale and a spasm of the larynx occurs. Similar symptoms may be accompanied by urinary incontinence and convulsions. In this situation, urgent emergency assistance is needed.
Sometimes, with an allergic reaction to milk protein, such atypical signs appear as nosebleeds, vegetative-vascular dystonia, joint destruction, disruption of the urinary organs, anemia.
Intolerance to cow's milk protein in infants, the symptoms and treatment of which are aimed at eliminating unpleasant signs, is most often manifested on the skin in the form of redness of the cheeks and rash. If the baby is worried about severe itching, then he begins to comb the skin, because of which a bacterial infection can still join the allergy.
Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance: Diagnosis
If you suspect an allergy, you should first find out what exactly causes the negative reaction. To do this, you need to introduce dairy products into the diet and monitor the condition of the body after their use. In the event that, after taking them, the child has loose stools with white lumps, his intestines cannot process and absorb the protein present in this nutrient fluid.
Protein intolerance, the symptoms of which occur after an allergen enters the body, can lead to a developmental delay in the baby and growth retardation. If the baby often spits up, it has pain, bloating and gas, then it is most likely an allergic reaction to milk protein. As a result of this, the absorption of beneficial substances is impaired in the child, which slows down the development of his body.
Therapeutic methods
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely recover from an allergy to milk protein. With increased sensitivity, a person will have to remove all the food in which he is present from the diet. After the appearance of signs of food allergies, you should consult an allergist. The doctor will send for the necessary examinations, after which he will prescribe effective therapy. Protein intolerance should not be treated on its own, as this can lead to complications. Indeed, some people confuse this allergic reaction with dermatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or throat, and urticaria.
Allergy-Free Medicines
Intolerance to protein in cow's milk, the symptoms of which in adults are not always pronounced, is often treated with medications. With high sensitivity to dairy products, measures should be taken to relieve symptoms and improve well-being. Sorbents and antihistamines: Tavegil, Diphenhydramine, activated charcoal and Suprastin will help eliminate itching and other manifestations of allergies.
To eliminate an attack of anaphylactic shock, corticosteroids are used. At the same time, all products with milk protein must be discarded so as not to aggravate the situation. In addition, stress should be additionally avoided, immunity increased, digestion monitored, and symptomatic disorders removed on time.
To get rid of skin rashes, various ointments are used. The most popular of them are Elok, Bepanten, Hydrocortisone, Skin-Cap and Fenistil.
Nutrition for milk protein intolerance
To prevent allergies to the cow drink, you must follow a special diet. Cheese, milk, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream should be completely removed from the diet. Moreover, it is worth abandoning products containing milk protein:
- baking;
- sauces;
- sausages;
- chocolate and ice cream.
Instead of a nutritious cow drink, you can use soy, and a deficiency of calcium will help fill up vegetables, fruits and vitamin complexes.
Treatment with folk remedies
To eliminate milk protein intolerance in alternative medicine, a series is used to relieve swelling and itching. Dill seed is also used for hypersensitivity. It helps to relieve unpleasant symptoms of the digestive tract: frequent spitting up, colic and diarrhea.
But before using folk remedies, especially along with medicines, it is worth consulting a doctor.