What Is Celiac Disease and How Is It Treated?
By Lana Bandoim
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is also known as sprue. It affects adults and children, but the age of diagnosis may affect the risk of developing another autoimmune disease. Consider the following information about celiac disease and talk to your doctor.
Celiac Disease Details and Symptoms
Celiac disease occurs when eating gluten damages the small intestine and leads to malabsorption of nutrients. Gluten is a protein commonly found in rye, wheat and barley. If you eat a piece of wheat toast or another food with gluten, the body reacts to it and creates an immune response.
Although there are more than 200 symptoms associated with celiac disease, the most common ones include gastrointestinal problems, bloating, pain, fatigue, anemia, headaches, skin rashes and problems eating. You may also have nutritional deficiencies because of malabsorption and damage to the small intestine. In addition, children are more likely to have failure to thrive, so they may be shorter and smaller than their peers.
Treatment Options
Despite ongoing research, there is no cure for celiac disease and no official medication to stop all symptoms. You may encounter a variety of products in stores and online that claim to help relieve celiac disease, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not verified or approved them.
A strict gluten-free diet is the current treatment plan for celiac disease, and it must be followed for the rest of your life after diagnosis. This means that rye, wheat and barley products have to be eliminated. It is important to read all the ingredients and labels on food items to make sure they are safe for celiac disease.
Long-Term Consequences
If celiac disease is not diagnosed, you may have multiple health problems. First, malabsorption can prevent important nutrients from being absorbed in the body. Nutritional deficiencies and anemia are common problems for people with celiac disease. In addition, infertility, neurological issues and a higher risk of cancer have been reported.
Research studies show that getting a diagnosis later in life may increase the risk of having other autoimmune diseases. These disorders may include Sjögren’s syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, autoimmune thyroid disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and other medical conditions.
If you are worried about celiac disease, then talk to a doctor and get an official diagnosis. Understanding the symptoms and treatment options for this autoimmune disorder can help. Ask your doctor about celiac disease and get tested.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Arnold, Mo.