Celiac disease is a problem some people have with foods that contain gluten. Gluten is a type of protein. It's found in the grains wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a wheat-rye cross).
When you have this disease and you eat food with gluten in it, the gluten triggers an immune response that isn't normal. This damages the inside of your small intestine so that it can't do a good job of absorbing nutrients from your food.
Celiac disease can lead to anemia or osteoporosis.
In children, celiac disease can slow growth and weaken bones. If it isn't treated, your child can get very sick.
Symptoms of celiac disease include:
Symptoms may come and go. They may be very mild and go completely unnoticed. Or they may be severe symptoms that impact your daily life.
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and do a physical exam.
You may have blood tests to see if you have certain antibodies that could mean you have the disease. Celiac disease triggers the immune system to produce these antibodies.
To find out for sure if you have celiac disease, you will probably have an endoscopy. In this test, a doctor uses a thin, lighted tube to look at the inside of your small intestine. Your doctor can also take small samples of tissue to be tested in a lab. This is called a biopsy.
If the biopsy shows signs of celiac disease (such as abnormal villi and inflammation in the small intestine), a gluten-free diet will be recommended.
A diagnosis of celiac disease is confirmed if the diet makes symptoms go away and if antibody tests become normal.
The treatment for celiac disease is to avoid all foods that have gluten. This is called a gluten-free diet. Eating even the smallest amount of gluten can cause symptoms such as weight loss and diarrhea.
A gluten-free diet means:
Gluten can also be in things you may not expect, like medicine, vitamins, and lipstick.
You may also be advised to avoid milk or milk products for a while until your intestine heals. Then you may be able to slowly reintroduce them.
If you have nutritional deficiencies, you may need other treatments. Treatments include vitamin, iron, and calcium supplements.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
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