Pork and Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps that form after eating pork can be related to different conditions and need to be evaluated by a medical doctor. Pork is meat from a pig that can cause an allergic reaction, food intolerance or food poisoning after consumption.
Stomach cramps that form after eating pork can be related to different conditions and need to be evaluated by a medical doctor. Pork is meat from a pig that can cause an allergic reaction, food intolerance or food poisoning after consumption. Stomach cramps that develop from an isolated event are most likely related to food poisoning, while symptoms that constantly develop every time you eat pork are related to another condition. Keep a record of when you ate the pork and how it affected the rest of your body.
Food Allergy
Stomach cramps from eating pork can be related to a food allergy. If you've eaten pork along with other foods that may have allergenic ingredients, your symptoms may be triggered by some other food other than the pork. The most common food allergens are milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, nuts and peanuts. It is possible that you're allergic to the proteins or carbohydrates found in pork. If this is the case, your immune system reacts to the pork as if it were a threatening substance to the body, releasing chemicals to fight it off. These chemicals can cause stomach pain, cramps, diarrhea and nausea.
Food Intolerance
Intolerances are more common than food allergies and will cause stomach cramps within a few hours after you consume pork. Unlike a food allergy, food intolerances are a digestive disorder and are not related to the immune system. Food intolerances are the result of a lack of the appropriate enzymes needed to digest the proteins found in pork. When this occurs, the proteins cannot be absorbed into the body and bloodstream. They remain undigested and move throughout the digestive system, causing inflammation and swelling. You will also develop nausea, vomiting and diarrhea with this condition.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is common with eating pork. If the pork is undercooked, handled improperly or is contaminated during manufacturing, you can become sick from consuming the meat. Food poisoning from pork occurs whenever you ingest pork that is contaminated with an infectious organism, such as a parasite, virus, toxin or bacteria. This condition will cause severe stomach cramps within four hours after you ingest the meat. You will also develop a low-grade fever, vomiting, stomach pain, nausea and fatigue from food poisoning. Most symptoms last for one to 10 days.
Consideration
Stomach cramps that develop after you eat pork may be related to another digestive condition, such as Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Do not attempt to diagnose yourself based on symptoms. Only a physician can provide a clinical diagnosis and the appropriate treatment options.