Milk allergy can be termed as an adverse immune reaction to milk and milk products that are normally harmless to non allergic persons. Symptoms of Milk allergy may differ from person to person and may occur from within a few minutes after the ingestion of milk or of eating any food containing milk protein, to hours after the ingestion. Symptoms of milk allergy can be detected in children as well as in adults .However children are the worst sufferers of this disease. It is estimated that around 2-7.5% of children show milk allergy symptoms. The symptoms generally do not last more than a day. In most instances affect some or in some cases all of the following bodily functions:

• Gastrointestinal
• Respiratory
• Dermatological

Gastrointestinal Reaction: Milk allergy can affect the gastrointestinal system of human body. It can lead to a number of abnormalities in the gastrointestinal functions in the body resulting in great discomfort for the patient. It manifests itself in the form of a number of diseases such as:

• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain and bloating
• Gas
• Cramps
• Nausea

Respiratory reaction: Milk allergy may affect the body’s respiratory system and the sufferer of this kind of allergy may experience any one or in worst cases almost all the following symptoms:

• Running nose
• Watery eyes
• Shortness of breath
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Wheezing

Dermatological reactions: Another portion of human body most often affected by milk allergies is the dermatological system of human body.Milk allergy symptoms appear may appear in the form of a number of skin ailments in different parts of the patient’s body. The symptoms include:

• Itchy red rashes
• Hives
• Eczema
• Black patches around the eyes (also known as allergic ‘shiners’)
• Swelling of eyes ,throat ,mouth and tongue

It has been seen that generally most people suffer from either one or several of the reactions listed above. But in some rare cases a person may have a much stronger reaction to milk protein. This can lead to a condition called Anaphylaxis .It is a life threatening symptom and may become extremely dangerous and requires doctor’s immediate advise .When attacked by Anaphylaxis a person experiences excessive swallowing of mouth ,tongue ,throat and the airways leading to the lungs, resulting in the patient’s inability to take breath.

Milk allergy symptoms sometimes may appear in the form of a sudden drop in the body’s blood pressure level. As a result the person experiences dizziness and in worst cases this may lead to eventual loss of consciousness .These conditions are very dangerous and if not treated at the right time can become fatal also. More on milk allergy symptoms

Very often it is seen that people tend to confuse milk allergy with lactose intolerance because the symptoms in both the conditions are almost identical. But the two are not related to one another in any way. Milk allergy is related to the immune system of human body while lactose intolerance is related to the digestive system.