“Seems like every day now, my stomach is upset,” said a MyFoodAllergyTeam member. “It doesn’t matter what I eat or don’t eat.” Stomach pain can be a symptom of food allergies. However, it can also be a symptom of many other conditions.

Experts estimate that about half of people with food allergies experience gastrointestinal symptoms only. They may feel stomach pain and nausea but do not have trouble breathing or skin rashes. “I’m battling with bloating, cramping, and severe pain in my stomach,” shared another MyFoodAllergyTeam member.

If stomach pain affects you or your child with food allergies, here are some factors to consider.

Common Food Allergy Symptoms

People with food allergies have an inappropriate immune system response to a specific food. Their immune response is an overreaction to an ingredient that’s safe to eat for most people. Symptoms that come with food allergies can affect multiple parts of the body at the same time. These symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Common symptoms include:

• Diarrhea and stomach cramping
• Dizziness
• Facial swelling
• Feeling sick (nausea)
• Vomiting
• Itchy skin (hives)
• Sneezing or runny nose
• Wheezing

“Stomach pain, anxiety, and depression are hitting me hard today,” shared a MyFoodAllergyTeam member. Food allergies can cause anxiety and stress about food and social situations. Emotions are often felt strongly in the gut. The mental impact of food allergies, along with other stressors, has been associated with more severe stomach pain.

Possible Causes of Stomach Pain

Many different issues can lead to abdominal pain. Some common causes include:

• Diverticular disease
• Food poisoning
• Gallbladder cancer or gallstones
• Injury or muscle strain
• Kidney cancer, infection, or kidney stones
• Liver disease
• Menstrual cramps or ovulation pain
• Pancreatitis
• Shingles
• Viral stomach flu

Food intolerances or sensitivities can also cause stomach pain. Unlike a food allergy, a food sensitivity doesn’t lead to a life-threatening reaction. Having an intolerance to particular foods means your body has trouble digesting them. As a result, you may have gas, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

Food intolerance symptoms may start quickly or take a few hours to appear (unlike most food allergies, which cause symptoms right away). You may not notice symptoms if you only eat a small amount of the offending food. For example, lactose intolerance is a common food intolerance where people get an upset stomach after drinking cow’s milk. Some people with lactose intolerance can handle small amounts of dairy products, like adding a splash of milk to their coffee, but a full glass of milk could make them uncomfortable.

Other possible causes of stomach pain include digestive diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While these are two different gastrointestinal conditions, stomach pain is a common symptom of both.

Diagnosing the Cause of Stomach Pain

Because there are many reasons for stomach pain, your health care provider will need to ask some questions to see if you need medical attention.

They may ask:

• Do you have any other symptoms besides stomach pain?
• Does anything you do at home help or make it worse?
• How long have you had stomach pain?
• Is the pain persistent, or does it come and go?
• Is your pain getting better, worse, or staying the same?
• What part of your stomach hurts specifically (upper, lower, or a certain side)?

Your doctor can run tests for food allergies, digestive diseases, and certain food intolerances. The test for lactose intolerance is called a hydrogen breath test. You’ll drink a liquid that contains lactose. Then, you’ll breathe into a monitor every 30 minutes for a few hours as the lactose moves through your digestive system. Lactose that doesn’t get digested produces hydrogen, which can be detected in your breath.

There are no specific tests for other food intolerances. However, you can work with a registered dietitian nutritionist to keep a food diary where you track what you eat and any digestive symptoms, like stomach pain. They may also put you on an elimination diet, where you stop eating certain foods for a couple of weeks, then gradually add them back to see if symptoms return.

Diagnosing a digestive disease like IBD or IBS will require a trip to a gastroenterologist. This digestive specialist can use imaging tools to look for signs of IBD in your throat, stomach, and intestines. If you don’t have IBD, they can use other screening tools to diagnose IBS.

How To Treat Stomach Pain

If your stomach pain is from food allergies or food intolerance, the best way to treat it is to avoid those foods altogether. Learning to read food labels can help you spot your triggers in grocery stores and restaurants.

“It took me a little while to figure out exactly what I can and cannot eat,” said a MyFoodAllergyTeam member. “I still make mistakes sometimes, but it’s getting better. My days are more good than bad now. Eating out is always risky unless I go to Whole Foods or Earth Fare. Everything in their hot bar gives the full ingredients list.”

Food allergies may also require medications like antihistamines and epinephrine. Your allergist can explain how and when to use different allergy treatments.

A heating pad or warm bath can help ease stomach pain at home. Other home remedies to try include:

• Ginger — For indigestion
• Licorice — For gas
• Peppermint — For stomach cramps

Other causes of stomach pain require specific treatment. If you’re diagnosed with a digestive disease, you may need to change your diet, take medication, or even have surgery. Treatment for any form of stomach pain should focus on preventing the cause of stomach pain and helping you feel more comfortable as your body returns to “normal.” It may also include therapy to address stress-related factors that can contribute to stomach pain.

When To Call the Doctor

If you or your child with food allergies is having intense stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or unexpected weight loss, you should speak with a doctor. But you should call emergency services immediately if you notice the following signs of a severe allergic reaction:

• Confusion or dizziness
• Difficulty breathing
• Fainting
• Skin rashes
• Swollen lips or tongue
• Throat tightness that makes it hard to swallow
• Heavy vomiting or diarrhea

In addition, don’t ignore certain symptoms when they happen with stomach pain, even if the person doesn’t have food allergies. Worrying symptoms include:

• Bloody stool or urine
• Fever
• Jaundice (yellowed eye or skin)
• Shortness of breath
• A swollen, tender belly

If you have doubts, it’s always better to seek medical advice than to wait too long and risk the situation getting worse.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyFoodAllergyTeam is the social network for people with food allergies and their loved ones. On MyFoodAllergyTeam, more than 41,000 members from around the world come together to ask questions, offer support and advice, and connect with others who understand life with food allergies.

Does accidental exposure to your food allergens cause stomach pain? What are your most common symptoms, and how do you manage them? Share in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.