Milk Allergy – Allergy Care, Medication, Remedy

About milk allergies -
Milk allergy is the immune system’s response to one or more proteins present in milk.
Cow milk allergy is a very common food allergy and is usually detected in early infancy. Casein (which accounts for 80 percent of milk proteins) and Whey are the two components of cow milk responsible for the allergic reaction. A majority of children outgrow this allergy by the age of four, but some have to live their life with it.


What are the symptoms of milk allergy?
Like most of the other food allergies, milk allergy too manifests its effects in the skin, digestive system and respiratory system. You can read our article on understanding food allergy to learn all about them. Some specific allergic reactions caused due to milk are abdominal bloating, diarrhea, frequent bed wetting in children, lethargy and inattentiveness. In extremely severe cases, the allergic reaction can cause an anaphylactic shock.


What are the hidden sources of milk allergens?
People allergic to milk should make it a point to check labels on food cans for milk protein contents. If you have a milk allergy, keep a close eye on your diet. Here is a checlist of some veiled(milk-like) food products -

  • Many non-dairy products like Soya, caramel flavoring and powdered milk contain casein.
  • Some meat varieties like sausages may contain casein as a binder.
  • Restaurants use casein-containing delicacies like butter, cream toppings and salad dressings to add taste to the preparations.
  • Deli meat slicers are frequently used for both meat and cheese products.
  • Some brands of canned tuna fish contain casein, a milk protein.

Milk Allergy Relief - Treatment for milk allergies

As is the case with all allergies, avoidance and allergy care is thebest remedy even with milk allergy. Besides that, there are many types of treatment, just in case someone unknowingly consumes milk proteins -


Symptomatic treatment
Symptoms of milk allergy can be treated with allopathic medicines like antihistamines, epinephrine and corticosteroids. These drugs reduce the allergic reactions and maintain proper breathing and blood circulation in your body.


However, there are some nontraditional means of treating milk allergy that are often used because of their minimal side effects. Some of them are –


Homeopathic treatment - A homeopathic remedy for milk allergy prepares the body to react less to milk allergens. This is accomplished by adapting the natural defenses of the body to the allergen. As a result, the body no longer reacts to the milk protein adversely. Natrum carbonicum is a well-known homeopathic remedy for milk allergy as it reduces congestion, flatulence and acts a liver protector.


Herbal Remedy and Treatment – The herbal remedy for milk allergy is based on breaking down of milk into smaller absorbable units that the body can utilize. An effective herbal remedy for milk allergy is the – Power Enzyme Complex. This is a mixture of enzymes that aid in milk digestion and prevent the harmful effects of milk proteins by de-activating them.


Acupuncture – Acupuncture is an energy-based treatment for milk allergy. Kinesiology, the art and science of movement of the human body is used as a guide in this method. It includes a form of muscle testing that can measure the level of energy moving through our meridians. Milk allergens are supposed to block these energy levels. So an energy-based allergy practitioner places the milk allergen in your energy field by asking you to hold a vial with the suspected food allergen. If the muscle test shows you are weak in the presence of the milk allergen, he stimulates specific acupuncture points on your body, using needles.


Once this is done , the practitioner will muscle test you again to see if you are cleared of the allergy. If you are not, your acupuncture points will be stimulated again. Once you are clear, you will be re-tested on milk allergens after a few days to see if your natural allergy treatment is successful.


Allergy Care - Alternatives for people with milk allergies?

Since one cannot avoid milk totally because of its nutritional value and innumerable benefits, researchers have developed hypoallergenic milk formulas that can be used as substitutes for infants suffering from milk allergy. Prevention and allergy care is the best way to find relief till you find a long term remedy that suits your constitution–

  • Whey-based hydrolysate formulas – These contain pre-digested or broken down milk proteins which makes the formulas less allergenic.
  • Casein hydrolysate formulas – These are formulas that contain proteins in smaller fragments and amino acids, which are the structural units of proteins. Hence, the formula becomes immune-friendly and easy to digest.
  • Amino acid-based infant formulas – Such formulas contain protein in its simplest form and are the least allergenic amongst the given formulas.

Milk Allergy Care for Adults - Adults can meet their nutritional needs by including green vegetables, meat and mineral supplements in their diet to avoid milk allergy and consult a medical specialist for appropriate treatment and advice.


To learn more about what food allergies are, read our introductory article on food allergy, which discusses various syptoms, tests and treatment for food allergy relief.