Celiac Disease Symptoms & Treatment
Celiac disease, once thought uncommon in the United States, is
now believed to affect millions of Americans to varying degrees.
Celiac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein
found in wheat and wheat products.
Although the effects of celiac disease can be severe, for
most people affected by this disease, it can be treated
through diet. For most people (but not all), by completely
removing gluten from the diet, you can begin to see improvement
within three to six months. After a year, if you are faithful to
the gluten free diet, the symptoms may all but disappear.
So what are the symptoms of celiac disease?
Celiac Disease Symptoms
While celiac disease symptoms can vary widely from person to
person, these are considered to be the most common symptoms of
celiac disease: Abdominal pain, bloating, gas, indigestion,
diarrhea, weight loss, nausea,constipation, anemia, bone & joint
pain, bone disease, dental enamel defects and discoloration,
bruising easily, depression & irritability, seizures, vitamin
and mineral deficiency.
What if YOU Have Celiac Disease Symptoms?
If you have celiac disease symptoms, it is important that you
seek medical attention as quickly as possible. What sort of
tests & treatment should you expect? First, they will do a blood
test. This will likely indicate anemia if you have celiac
disease. It is important thay they determine the cause of the
anemia. They can also determine if there is bone loss, and the
effects of malnutrition due to celiac disease.
If your doctor determines you have celiac disease, he may need
to preform a biopsy (taking a small tissue sample) which will
verify the diagnosis.
What is the Treatment of Celiac Disease?
A life-long gluten-free diet is required. This allows the
intestinal villi to heal. Foods, beverages, and medications
which contain wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats are
eliminated completely. You must read food and medication labels
carefully to look for "hidden" sources of these grains and their
derivatives. Since wheat and barley grains are found abundantly
in the American diet, the treatment is challenging but
achievable with education and planning.
It is important that you NOT begin the gluten-free diet before a
diagnosis is made. Doing so will alter future testing for the
disease.
Vitamin and mineral supplements may be prescribed to correct
nutritional deficiencies. Following a well-balanced, gluten-free
diet is generally the only treatment required for achieving
wellness and eliminating symptoms.
Upon diagnosis, seek consultation from a registered dietitian
with a specialty in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.
Joining a local and national support group can also be
invaluable in helping one to cope with the disease and diet.