Celiac Disease
(also known as Celiac Sprue, Dermatitis Herpetiformis)
Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption
of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and other foods containing wheat, barley or rye.
Oats may contain gluten as well.
When a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten,
an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an inability
to absorb certain nutrients from food.
Also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive
enteropathy, celiac disease occurs in people who have a susceptibility to gluten intolerance.
Signs and Symptoms:
There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Most
people with the disease have general complaints such as intermittent diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating. Sometimes people
with celiac disease may have no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. The symptoms of celiac disease can also mimic those of other
conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, Crohn's disease, parasite infections, anemia, skin disorders
or a nervous condition.
Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including
irritability or depression, stomach upset, joint pain, muscle cramps, skin rash, mouth sores, dental and bone disorders, and
tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy).
Some indications of malabsorption that may result from celiac disease
include:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating
- General weakness
- Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily, including
stools that float
- Stunted growth (in children)
- Osteoporosis
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