About 1% of the world population suffers from celiac disease. That’s nearly a billion people worldwide. More alarmingly, as many as 70% of people may not be properly diagnosed, meaning they’re left struggling with symptoms without knowing why.
At Digestive Disease Specialists in Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa, our team is experienced in diagnosing and managing celiac disease and helping our patients find relief from their symptoms while improving their overall health and wellness.
In this post, we offer a brief primer on celiac disease, helping you understand what it is, why it happens, and what symptoms it can cause.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects your digestive system, specifically your small intestine. Autoimmune conditions happen when something triggers your body’s immune system to respond to an otherwise harmless substance — in this case, gluten, a protein found in wheat.
When someone with celiac disease consumes foods that contain gluten, they can experience a wide array of symptoms, including:
These symptoms can be very subtle, mimicking other health problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and leaving many patients undiagnosed for years.
Over time and without proper management, celiac disease damages the lining of your small intestine, interfering with nutrient absorption and increasing your risks of developing more serious long-term complications, such as anemia, osteoporosis, and nutrient deficiencies, as well as heart disease, neurological conditions, intestinal cancers, and other autoimmune disorders.
Diagnosing celiac disease usually begins with blood tests that check for specific antibodies triggered by gluten. If those tests suggest that celiac disease may be present, our team typically recommends an upper GI endoscopy to obtain a tiny tissue sample, or biopsy, for confirmation.
It’s important to note that these tests are most accurate in diagnosing celiac disease when you’re still eating gluten as part of your diet. That’s why, if you suspect you have celiac disease, it’s important not to cut out gluten until these diagnostic screening tests are performed.
If you’re diagnosed with celiac disease, the next step is treatment. To date, the only effective celiac disease treatment involves fairly significant changes to your diet — specifically, cutting out all foods that contain wheat, barley, and rye.
Most people know this means cutting out breads and pastas made with these grains, but gluten is in lots of other foods. Since even a tiny amount of gluten can trigger an immune response that causes uncomfortable symptoms and intestinal damage, reading food labels is critical.
Adjusting to a gluten-free diet can seem overwhelming at first, but joining an in-person or online support group and working with a dietitian can help. Our team can provide support and guidance, as well.
Many patients find that once they begin a gluten-free diet, their symptoms improve dramatically. Over time, as your intestinal lining heals, your risks of complications also decrease.
Managing celiac disease on a daily basis can be challenging at first, but today, many food manufacturers and even restaurants offer gluten-free options that can make the task easier. Lots of healthy options, like fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, and other grains, form the foundation of a delicious eating plan.
Once you begin to feel better, maintaining your new lifestyle will get easier and more rewarding. To learn more about celiac disease or if you have celiac disease symptoms, book an appointment online or over the phone with Digestive Disease Specialists today.
