Lactose intolerance is often confuse with other conditions, and should always be checked by a doctor, since there are many diseases and conditions that share common symptoms, these symptoms can be a sign of something much more serious than lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance can be a miserable and painful condition but it is relatively harmless in its adult form. Caused by the decline of the enzyme lactase, this condition is actually quite common and considered a normal part of aging. Lactose intolerance symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, bloating and gas, all of which can be symptoms of any number of gastrointestinal diseases. In addition to this, lactose intolerance can be a secondary symptom of other diseases meaning that it can mask an underlying disease such as celiac disease.

One of the most common diseases that are confused to lactose intolerance is Irritable bowel syndrome.  IBS has the same symptoms as lactose intolerance and can be triggered by the foods you eat however there is a number of different foods that can trigger IBS and the treatments for Irritable bowel syndrome are different than the treatment for lactose intolerance.

It is important to check for food allergies as well when a problem with milk is discovered while most food allergies have some similar symptoms to lactose intolerance, milk allergies also usually have symptoms that affect the skin and respiratory system as well but this is not always the case. Because an allergy to milk is to a different substance in the milk than a lactose intolerance it is important to distinguish between the two, since avoiding lactose will not necessarily help you avoid casein which is the most common trigger of milk allergies.

Inflammatory bowel disease has also often been mistaken for lactose intolerance the symptoms again the same, but the inflammation caused by this disease can cause all sorts of problems such as weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition and cause severe complications with many different organs and body systems.

Most of these diseases can be easily diagnosed by your doctor including lactose intolerance. Getting tested will rule out more severe conditions but at the same time it will make sure you get the appropriate treatment for the condition you have.