What is celiac disease? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Do you know that our stomach works to send energy to the whole body. Whatever we eat or drink goes directly to our stomach and from there, after digestion, by making energy, it works to give strength to the whole body through blood and other means. For this reason, it would not be wrong to say that the stomach is the most important part of our body. On one hand, stomach is the most important part of our body, on the other hand, our stomach and abdominal organs face the most problems. Celiac disease is one such serious disease related to the stomach, about which we will discuss in detail in this article. Through this article, you will learn about the symptoms of celiac disease, the causes of celiac disease and the most important celiac disease treatment.

As per a study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 15.2% of adults with celiac disease were overweight when they were diagnosed and 6.8% were obese. Together, these outnumbered the 17.3% who were underweight. It shows that it is not rare for a person with celiac disease to be overweight.

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu has said she suffers from celiac disease



What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that involves the immune system reacting to gluten. Gluten is a general name for a group of proteins in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. In a person with celiac disease, exposure to gluten causes inflammation of the intestine. Repeated exposure gradually damages the small intestine, which can lead to problems absorbing minerals and nutrients from food. Celiac disease affects about 1 in 100 people worldwide, and many people don't know it.

According to National Library of Medicine, Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic, immune mediated disorder that occurs in individuals with a genetic predisposition in response to ingestion of dietary gluten. It is a common but markedly under-diagnosed condition. It may lead to serious long-term complications if untreated.

 

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

The signs and symptoms of celiac disease can be very different and different in children and adults, let us know about both in detail.

The following signs and symptoms appear when celiac disease occurs in young: -

have diarrhea


get tired

 

weight loss without effort

 

stomach bloating

 

gas formation

 

stomach ache

 

Nausea and vomiting problem

 

moderate to severe constipation

 

However, more than half of adults with celiac disease have signs and symptoms unrelated to the digestive system, including:

 

Anemia (lack of iron in the blood)

 

Decreased bone density (osteoporosis) or softening of the bone (osteomalacia)

 

get itchy

 

blistering skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)

 

mouth ulcers

 

headache and fatigue

 

Nervous system injury, including numbness and tingling in the feet and hands, possible problems with balance, and cognitive impairment

 

joint pain

 

Decreased spleen function (hyposplenism)

 

The following signs and symptoms appear when children have celiac disease: –

 

Children with celiac disease are more likely to have digestive problems than adults, including the following signs and symptoms:

 

Nausea and vomiting problem

 

having frequent bouts of diarrhea

 

swollen belly

 

being constipated

 

gas formation

 

pale, foul-smelling stools

 

An inability to absorb nutrients can result from:

 

failure to thrive in infants

 

damage to tooth enamel

 

weight loss

 

anemia

 

irritability

 

short stature

 

delayed puberty

 

neurological symptoms including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, headaches, lack of muscle coordination, and seizures

 

What is the reason behind having celiac disease? What is the reason behind having celiac disease?

Your genes, along with eating foods with gluten and other factors may contribute to celiac disease, but the exact cause is not known. Infant-feeding practices, gastrointestinal infections and gut bacteria may also contribute. Sometimes celiac disease becomes active after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.

 

When the body's immune system overreacts to gluten in food, the response damages the tiny, hair-shaped projections (villi) that line the small intestine. The villi absorb vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food you eat. If your villi are damaged, you may not get enough nutrients, no matter how much you eat.

 

What are the risk factors for celiac disease? What are the risk factors for celiac disease?

Compared to other people, people who are suffering from the following problems are at the highest risk of getting celiac disease: –

 

type 1 diabetes

 

down syndrome or turner syndrome

 

autoimmune thyroid disease

 

Microscopic colitis (lymphocytic or collagenous colitis)

 

Addison's patients

 

a family member with celiac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis

 

What are the complications of celiac disease? What are the complications of having celiac disease?

If celiac disease is not treated properly or treatment is not started at all, then due to this the following serious complications may occur in the patient:-

Malnutrition Malnutrition: This happens when your small intestine is unable to absorb enough nutrients. Malnutrition can lead to anemia and weight loss. In children, malnutrition can cause slow growth and short stature.

Bone weakening: Malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D can lead to softening of the bone (osteomalacia or rickets) in children and loss of bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis) in adults.

Infertility and miscarriage:- Malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D can contribute to fertility problems.

Lactose intolerance: Damage to your small intestine after eating or drinking dairy products containing lactose can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Once your gut heals, you may be able to tolerate dairy products again.

Cancer: People with celiac disease who do not follow a gluten-free diet have a higher risk of developing several types of cancer, including intestinal lymphoma and small bowel cancer.

Nervous system problems: Some people with celiac disease may have problems such as seizures or nerve disease in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy).

 

What is nondiagnostic celiac disease? What is Nonresponsive celiac disease?

Some people with celiac disease do not respond to what they consider to be a gluten-free diet. Unresponsive celiac disease is often caused by contamination of the diet with gluten. Working with a dietitian can help you learn how to avoid all gluten.

People who are suffering from non-responsive celiac disease may have the following problems:-

Bacteria in the small intestine (bacterial overgrowth)

microscopic colitis

Poor pancreas function (pancreatic insufficiency)

irritable bowel disease

Difficulty digesting the sugar found in dairy products (lactose), table sugar (sucrose), or honey and fruits (fructose)

 

What is refractory celiac disease? What is refractory celiac disease?

In rare instances, the intestinal injury of celiac disease does not respond to a strict gluten-free diet. This is known as refractory celiac disease. If you still have signs and symptoms after following a gluten-free diet for six months to a year, you may need further testing to look for other explanations for your symptoms.

 

How is celiac disease diagnosed? How is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?

Many people with celiac disease do not know that they are suffering from this serious disease. In such a situation, it is difficult to diagnose, while people have very little knowledge of the symptoms of this serious disease. If you are feeling the symptoms of celiac disease, then you should talk to your doctor about it as soon as possible. If there is a suspicion of celiac disease, the doctor will ask you to get some tests done, in which the following two blood tests play a major role in diagnosing it: -

 

Serology testing looks for antibodies in your blood. Elevated levels of certain antibody proteins indicate an immune response to gluten.

 

Genetic testing for human leukocyte antigens (HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8) can be used to rule out celiac disease.

 

It is important to get tested for celiac disease before trying a gluten-free diet. Eliminating gluten from your diet can cause blood test results to appear normal.

 

If the results of these tests indicate celiac disease, your doctor may order one of the following tests:

 

Endoscopy :- This test uses a long tube with a tiny camera that is inserted into your mouth and passed down your throat (upper endoscopy). The camera enables your doctor to view your small intestine and take a small tissue sample (biopsy) to analyze the damage to the villi.

 

Capsule endoscopy: This test uses a tiny wireless camera to take pictures of your entire small intestine. The camera sits inside a capsule the size of a vitamin, which you swallow. As the capsule passes through your digestive tract, the camera takes thousands of pictures that are transmitted to a recorder.

 

If your doctor suspects that you have dermatitis herpetiformis, he or she may take a small sample of skin tissue to examine under a microscope (skin biopsy).

 

How is celiac disease treated? How is celiac disease treated?

 

The only way to manage celiac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Apart from wheat, foods that contain gluten should be avoided. Gluten free foods include the following:

 

barley

 

bulgar

 

Durum

 

Pollen

 

graham flour

 

Malto

 

rye

 

Semolina

 

Spelled (a form of wheat)

 

triticale

 

A dietitian who works with people with celiac disease can help you plan a healthy gluten-free diet. Even small amounts of gluten in your diet can be harmful, even if they don't cause signs or symptoms.

 

Gluten can be hidden in foods, drugs, and non-food products, including:

 

modified food starch

 

Preservatives and Food Stabilizers

 

prescription and over-the-counter medications

 

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

 

toothpaste and mouthwash

 

wafers

 

herbal and nutritional supplements

 

lipstick product

 

envelope and stamp glue

 

Wheat flour plaiting

 

Removing gluten from your diet will gradually reduce the inflammation in your small intestine, making you feel better and eventually heal. Children recover more quickly than adults.

 

Vitamin and mineral supplement

If you have severe anemia or nutritional deficiencies due to celiac disease, your doctor or dietician may recommend dietary supplements, including:

 

copper

 

folate

 

iron

 

vitamin b12

 

vitamin D

 

Vitamin K

 

Zinc

 

Vitamins and supplements are usually taken in pill form. If your digestive tract has trouble absorbing vitamins, your doctor may give them by injection.

 

Follow-up care

 

Medical follow-up at regular intervals can help determine whether your symptoms are responding to a gluten-free diet. Your doctor will monitor your response with blood tests.

 

For most people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet helps the small intestine heal. For children, this usually takes three to six months. For adults, complete healing can take several years.

 

If your symptoms persist or if symptoms recur, you may need an endoscopy with a biopsy to determine whether your bowel has healed.

 

Medications to control intestinal inflammation

 

If your small intestine is severely damaged or you have refractory celiac disease, your doctor may recommend steroids to control inflammation. Steroids can ease severe signs and symptoms of celiac disease while the gut heals.

 

Other medications, such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) or budesonide (Entocort EC, Uceris), may be used.

 

Treating dermatitis herpetiformis

 

If celiac disease has caused you to develop a rash, your doctor may recommend a gluten-free diet along with a medication like oral dapsone. If you take dapsone, you'll need regular blood tests to check for side effects.

 

Refractory celiac disease Refractory celiac disease

 

If you have refractory celiac disease, your small intestine will not heal. You will then need to be assessed at a specialized centre. Refractory celiac disease can be quite serious, and there is currently no proven treatment.

 

Lifestyle changes and home remedies

 

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, you will need to avoid all foods that contain gluten. Ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian, who can help you plan a healthy gluten-free diet.

 

Read product labels Read product labels

 

Avoid packaged foods unless they are labeled as gluten-free or contain gluten-containing ingredients, including emulsifiers and stabilizers that may contain gluten. Besides cereals, pasta and baked goods, other packaged foods that may contain gluten mainly include the following:

 

Beer, lagers, ales, and malt vinegar

 

candy

 

Gravy

 

imitation meat or seafood

 

processed lunch meat

 

rice mix

 

Salad dressings and sauces, including soy sauce

 

spicy snack foods, such as tortillas and potato chips

 

Soup

 

Pureed oats are not harmful for most people with celiac disease, but oats can become contaminated with wheat during growing and processing. Ask your doctor whether you can try eating pure oat products in small amounts.

 

Allowed foods

 

There are several basic foods allowed on the gluten-free diet, including the following:

 

eggs

 

fresh meat, fish and poultry that have not been breaded, batter-coated or marinated

 

Fruit

 

Masur lentils

 

dried fruits

 

potato

 

vegetables

 

wine and distilled liquors

 

cider and spirits

 

most dairy products, unless they make your symptoms worse

 

Grains and starches allowed in a gluten-free diet include:

 

Amaranth

 

Buckwheat

 

corn cob

 

Pureed Corn Tortillas

 

Quinoa

 

rice

 

tapioca

 

wild rice

 

corn flour

 

Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potatoes, beans)

 

Can celiac disease be prevented? Can celiac disease be prevented?

 

No, there is no way to prevent celiac disease. There is currently no way by which it can be done. But you can prevent damage to the small intestine and avoid complications or relieve or reduce symptoms of celiac disease with the help of a strict gluten-free diet plan. Follow-up care is an important part of your treatment and safety. Make sure you keep and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse if you are having problems. If you are suffering from celiac disease, then you should inform about it to your family, friends and people with whom you often take or share food. If you tell your close ones about this, then they can take special care of your food.


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