Symptoms of celiac disease can appear at any age from infancy well into senior adulthood. In the Canadian Celiac Health Survey 1 of 2, adults with biopsy-proven celiac disease, the mean age at diagnosis was 46 years. A gastrointestinal or viral infection, surgery, pregnancy, or severe stress can sometimes trigger onset of the disease. Medical scientists now recognize that while celiac disease clearly affects the gastrointestinal system, it also affects the musculoskeletal, hematological, endocrine, neurological, cutaneous, and reproductive systems.
The symptoms of celiac disease are highly variable depending on age, the duration, and extent of the disease, and the presence of extra intestinal manifestations.
Celiac disease may also be associated with other conditions including type 1 diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, autoimmune thyroid disease, Down syndrome, and Turner syndrome.
The varied presentations of celiac disease and similarities of its symptoms with other diseases often lead to misdiagnoses such as irritable bowel syndrome , diverticular disease , gastric ulcers , allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia. Individuals frequently see numerous physicians before receiving a correct diagnosis.
The mean delay in diagnosis was While there are blood tests that can indicate an increased likelihood of having celiac disease, a small intestinal biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis. It is important to know that a gluten-free diet should NOT be started before the biopsy as it can interfere with making an accurate diagnosis.
The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet for life. The dietitian will do a complete nutritional assessment and provide comprehensive diet education. This includes assisting with meal planning, label reading, shopping, finding specialty food products and recipes, eating out, travelling, finding credible resources, and using supplements. Joining a patient group like the GI Society or the Canadian Celiac Association is also highly recommended to receive valuable information and ongoing support.
Celiac patients must avoid all forms of wheat, rye, and barley on a gluten-free diet See Table 1: Not Safe. Historically, oats were also on the list of prohibited grains as it was thought that the oat protein avenin caused the same toxic reaction as in wheat, rye, and barley.
However, research reveals that moderate amounts of pure, uncontaminated oats are safe for most individuals with celiac disease. Some people with celiac disease have symptoms that affect parts of the body outside the digestive tract. The doctor will review your medical history, including your history of conditions that are more common in people who have celiac disease.
In some cases, a dentist may notice signs of celiac disease during an exam. Celiac disease may cause problems with the teeth and mouth, such as defects in tooth enamel or canker sores. Doctors most often use blood tests and biopsies of the small intestine to diagnose or rule out celiac disease. In some cases, doctors may order additional tests, such as skin biopsies and genetic tests, to help diagnose or rule out celiac disease.
A health care professional will take a blood sample from you and send the sample to a lab. Blood tests can show levels of certain antibodies that are often higher than normal in people who have untreated celiac disease. Blood tests may also show signs of health problems that could be related to celiac disease, such as anemia. A doctor obtains biopsies of the small intestine during an upper GI endoscopy.
These can be detected with blood tests. In people with DH, a skin biopsy can also help doctors diagnose celiac disease. During a skin biopsy, the doctor will remove tiny pieces of skin tissue for examination with a microscope. If the skin biopsy and blood test results indicate celiac disease, an internal biopsy may not be necessary. In cases where blood test or skin biopsy results are inconclusive, an upper endoscopy can be used to test for celiac disease. During an upper endoscopy, a thin tube called an endoscope is threaded through the mouth and down into the small intestines.
A small camera attached to the endoscope allows the doctor to examine the intestines and to check for damage to the villi. The doctor can also perform an intestinal biopsy, which involves the removal of a tissue sample from the intestines for analysis.
The only way to treat celiac disease is to permanently remove gluten from your diet. This allows the intestinal villi to heal and to begin absorbing nutrients properly. Your doctor will teach you how to avoid gluten while following a nutritious and healthy diet.
They will also give you instructions on how to read food and product labels so you can identify any ingredients that contain gluten. Symptoms can improve within days of removing gluten from the diet. Removing gluten prematurely may interfere with test results and lead to an inaccurate diagnosis. Fortunately, many companies are now making gluten-free products, which can be found at various grocery stores and specialty food stores.
If you have celiac disease, it is important to know which foods are safe. Here is a series of food guidelines that can help you determine what to eat and what to avoid. Your symptoms should improve within days to weeks of making these dietary adjustments.
In children, the intestine usually heals in three to six months. Intestinal healing may take several years in adults. Once the intestine completely heals, the body will be able to absorb nutrients properly. If you experience symptoms related to consuming wheat or gluten, you may have one of three conditions that are behind gluten intolerance.
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but often get contaminated with gluten. This article explores whether oats can be part of a gluten-free diet. If you….
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