Celiac disease: Causes, symptoms and how to control this unpleasant disease?

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Celiac disease or gluten enteropathy is an autoimmune disease, that is, a disease where the immune system attacks the body's own cells when the gluten protein found in certain grains is ingested.

The symptoms of celiac disease vary from person to person, they can be very uncomfortable and can be prevented by eliminating gluten from the diet. Unfortunately, this disease often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms can indicate many other conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a series of tests in order to get the right diagnosis.

Symptoms of celiac disease

Symptoms of the disease appear after a person ingests food containing gluten and are associated with digestive problems such as diarrhea that lasts longer than a week, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, light-colored stools, drastic weight loss, nausea, gastritis and others. Some people may also experience anemia, osteoporosis, skin rashes, headache, reduced fertility, or joint pain.

On the other hand, some people may have mild symptoms and may go half their lives without knowing they have celiac disease. If you suffer from atypical celiac disease only one symptom such as anemia is present, and there is also asymptomatic celiac disease where the person has no symptoms at all.

If a person with celiac disease continues to eat gluten, a variety of problems can occur, including damage, inflammation and disease of the lining of the small intestine and the inability to absorb nutrients. In children, this can also lead to slowed growth and development.

What causes celiac disease?

It is not known exactly what causes this disease and why the immune system behaves in this way. One of the reasons is genetic inheritance of the disease, but the appearance of the disease can also be influenced by the environment.

Celiac disease is more common in women, while the first symptoms usually appear either at the youngest age, in babies up to 12 months, or at an older age between 40 and 60 years. Celiac disease is also more likely to occur in people who have another autoimmune disease.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?

When diarrhea lasts longer than a few days, and it is not a question of intestinal viruses, it is necessary to visit a doctor. Also, when a person experiences problems after eating food containing gluten, they should consult a doctor.

In order to make a correct diagnosis, a conversation with a doctor is required in which all the symptoms are described. Then a series of tests are done, such as a complete blood count, checking the level of iron in the blood, an endoscopy, and sometimes a biopsy of the lining of the small intestine. Eliminating gluten for a certain period of time, such as one month, and monitoring whether there are changes can also help in the diagnosis.

How is celiac disease treated?

There is no cure for this disease, but the most important thing is to eliminate gluten and all products that contain it from the diet, specifically food that contains wheat, rice, barley, and in some cases, oats. In this way, the symptoms will be completely alleviated, and potential complications will be prevented. People with celiac disease must carefully read the ingredients of products, especially the labels of processed foods.

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