Food intolerance
Could my symptoms be something else?
If you regularly have diarrhoea, bloating, tummy pain or skin rashes but you're not certain of the cause,see your GP.
Your GP may be able to diagnose the cause from your symptoms and medical history. If necessary, they'll carry out tests, such as blood tests.
You can also do some research yourself. It may helpto read up on other conditions that cause similar symptoms. For example, learn about:
- irritable bowel syndrome
- stress and anxiety disorder
- lactose intolerance
- coeliac disease
- inflammatory bowel disease
- food allergy (and read ' Is it a food intolerance or food allergy? 'below)
Bowels are sensitive organs, and it's common to have bowel symptoms when you have been ill or feel run down or stressed.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
A food intolerance is difficulty digesting certain foods and having an unpleasant physical reaction to them.
What are the symptoms of food intolerance?
In general, people who have afood intolerance tend to experience: Tummy ache , bloating, windand/or diarrhoea , or skin rashes and itching These symptoms usually come on a few hours after eating
Is there afood intolerance test?
There are no tests for food intolerances. The only way to know if you have one is to monitor your symptoms and the food you eat. See what happens when you cut out the suspected food for a while, and t
Could my symptoms be something else?
If you regularly have diarrhoea, bloating, tummy pain or skin rashes but you're not certain of the cause,see your GP. Your GP may be able to diagnose the cause from your symptoms and medical history.
Is it a food intolerance or foodallergy?
A food intolerance is not the same as a food allergy . Here's how you can tell the difference: Afood allergy: is a reaction from your immune system (your body's defence against infection) - your
What causes a food intolerance?
It is often unclear why a person is sensitive to certain foods. If your symptoms come on after having dairy products, it's possible you may have lactose intolerance . This meansyour body can't digest
How do I manage it?
If you're confident youare intolerant to a particular food, the only way you can manage this is to: stop eating the food for a while, and then reintroduce small quantities while monitoring how much
When do I need to see a specialist?
Your GP may want to refer you to a specialist if they're not surewhat's causing your symptoms and further tests are needed. You may also be referred if your child has digestive symptoms (such as tumm
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