Can Dairy Cause Joint Pain? I Have Been Lactose-Intolerant For 13 Years

[0range]

Hi everyone!

I've noticed a strange symptom: the last few times I have had dairy, I get joint pain. Normally I avoid dairy as I am lactose-intolerant, but have the occasional slip-up. I noticed when I had dessert with some ice-cream the other day, my knees were very sore. And then last night, I had to have a pill to induce bowel movements for my colonoscopy and it was 33mg of lactose. I had knee pain as well, then. I've never had these symptoms before. Usually it is gas, diarrhea, etc. I'm pretty sure joint pain is tied to inflammation though... after contracting measles, I started having blood in my stool - and everytime I would have blood, I would get a fever and joint pain. This has been on/off for the last 3 years but it is getting better. My gut has been incredibly strange over the last year, though. I find things are just "sitting" in there, causing constipation even when it's something like dairy - which is supposed to pass right through my system! My colonoscopy is this morning to figure out at least part of the puzzle, so here is crossing my fingers!

[nutritionguy]

Hi everyone!

I've noticed a strange symptom: the last few times I have had dairy, I get joint pain. Normally I avoid dairy as I am lactose-intolerant, but have the occasional slip-up. I noticed when I had dessert with some ice-cream the other day, my knees were very sore. And then last night, I had to have a pill to induce bowel movements for my colonoscopy and it was 33mg of lactose. I had knee pain as well, then. I've never had these symptoms before. Usually it is gas, diarrhea, etc. I'm pretty sure joint pain is tied to inflammation though... after contracting measles, I started having blood in my stool - and everytime I would have blood, I would get a fever and joint pain. This has been on/off for the last 3 years but it is getting better. My gut has been incredibly strange over the last year, though. I find things are just "sitting" in there, causing constipation even when it's something like dairy - which is supposed to pass right through my system! My colonoscopy is this morning to figure out at least part of the puzzle, so here is crossing my fingers!

In the United States, cows and chickens are fed grains rather than grass, resulting in the production of fats which are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which in excess can cause significant inflammation.  Whereas 100% grass fed chickens lay eggs with a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of about 1:1, grain fed chickens lay eggs with an omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of about 20-30:1.  Similar results are found with grain-fed cows (beef), cow milk, chickens, and grain-fed ("farm-raised") fish such as tilapia.  An excellent book with literature references for these findings was written by a physician with brain cancer who used his knowledge of nutrition to keep his cancer at bay for many years:  "Anti-Cancer:  A New Way of LIfe" by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD.  Just Google the title and you'll find the book with lots of people recommending it.  I also highly recommend it.  You will more than likely get a lot of information about the foods and food derivatives you are consuming which may be adding to the problems that you are now having. 

[janpell]

I get pain when I have dairy although I can have heavy whipped cream with my coffee (no additives just cream, I use Organic Meadows). But if I have milk with my coffee I get extreme upper neck pain and a foul mood. My son gets neck pain from dairy too. My knee only swells from fresh tomatoes. This food journey is just so bizarre.

[jiggles]

Hi orange,

I was lactose intolerant too for many years, but after a year on the Gluten free diet I have now been able to introduce dairy again

I find I am ok with Greek yoghurt,

but if I have milk and other dairy products I also get lots of joint pains like you do

including restless legs, and for some strange reason a very painful tail bone along with sciatica pain and very stiff fingers too

I also get very cold feet and then I get very hot and the sweats spreading over me too ,

I also get insomnia if I have too much dairy ,

I had the same problem as you with dairy going straight through,

it sounds like your lactose intolerance may have changed too ,

I definitely think there could be a link with joint stiffness and eating dairy products

It seems like eating certain foods can cause all sorts of strange things especially when we are fighting digestive illness

Good luck Orange with your tests ,

Ps ... Here is an interesting link about a GP who cured her aches and pains by giving up certain fruits and veg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2174474/The-GP-gave-fruit-veg-cure-aches-pains.html

[1whowaits]

On 8/25/2013 at 8:43 AM, janpell said:

I get pain when I have dairy although I can have heavy whipped cream with my coffee (no additives just cream, I use Organic Meadows). But if I have milk with my coffee I get extreme upper neck pain and a foul mood. My son gets neck pain from dairy too. My knee only swells from fresh tomatoes. This food journey is just so bizarre.

 

On 8/29/2013 at 11:16 PM, jiggles said:

Hi orange,

I was lactose intolerant too for many years, but after a year on the Gluten free diet I have now been able to introduce dairy again

I find I am ok with Greek yoghurt,

 

but if I have milk and other dairy products I also get lots of joint pains like you do

including restless legs, and for some strange reason a very painful tail bone along with sciatica pain and very stiff fingers too

 

I also get very cold feet and then I get very hot and the sweats spreading over me too ,

I also get insomnia if I have too much dairy ,

 

I had the same problem as you with dairy going straight through,

it sounds like your lactose intolerance may have changed too ,

 

I definitely think there could be a link with joint stiffness and eating dairy products

 

It seems like eating certain foods can cause all sorts of strange things especially when we are fighting digestive illness

 

Good luck Orange with your tests ,

 

Ps ... Here is an interesting link about a GP who cured her aches and pains by giving up certain fruits and veg

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2174474/The-GP-gave-fruit-veg-cure-aches-pains.html

 

On 8/25/2013 at 8:43 AM, janpell said:

I get pain when I have dairy although I can have heavy whipped cream with my coffee (no additives just cream, I use Organic Meadows). But if I have milk with my coffee I get extreme upper neck pain and a foul mood. My son gets neck pain from dairy too. My knee only swells from fresh tomatoes. This food journey is just so bizarre.

Thank you Janpell! I have been having unexplained neck pain and lately have been on a keto diet that requires heavy cream in my coffee to increase the fat ratio. I never connected the two until today when I was searching if dairy could be the cause of my joint/muscle/neck pain. Regular milk causes stomach inflammation and gas for me, but I had none of that with heavy cream, so I never connected it to neck pain. I’ll go back to drinking black coffee. This neck pain is excruciating! I guess dairy is out for me. Thank you again!