All About Celiac Disease and The Ways the Condition Is Managed

Contained in certain foods, like barley, rye, wheat, noodles, cereal, and other carb-rich foods, gluten often plays a huge role in a person's diet. But for individuals who have celiac disease, ingesting gluten can cause harmful medical problems. The only recognized remedy for celiac disease is removing gluten from the diet. If you believe you could be suffering from celiac disease, speak with a gastrointestinal specialist at a GI Alliance office near you to diagnose and care for your gluten sensitivity. Our highly skilled professionals will help you navigate your new condition and alter your lifestyle and nutrition.

What to know about celiac disease

Considered an inflammatory disorder, celiac disease is a condition in which the ingestion of gluten causes harm to the small intestines. People could develop celiac disease in any stage of life. Researchers estimate that around two million people in the U.S. have celiac disease and that around two-thirds of all Americans with celiac disease are not diagnosed or improperly diagnosed. If left unmanaged, this disorder could cause serious health problems.

Signs and symptoms of celiac disease

An individual with celiac disease could notice one or more of the following issues after consuming gluten:

• Trouble making bowel movements
• Loose bowel movements
• Discomfort, tingling, or numbness in the feet
• Abdominal swelling
• Fainting spells
• Dental cavities
• Rashes
• Acid reflux

If you are noticing these common celiac disease symptoms, get in touch with our gastroenterology center to plan an appointment with a gastrointestinal (GI) physician. Getting proper attention may help boost your overall well-being, as well as your intestinal wellness.

Identifying celiac disease

A GI physician will diagnose celiac disease. Your GI specialist might offer just one or both of the two celiac disease diagnostics to help detect or exclude this disorder:

• An HLA genetic test locates the HLA-DQ8 and HLA-DQ2 serotypes. Even though this test will not diagnose celiac disease, not having these alleles will exclude the illness.
• A tissue transglutaminase (tTG)-IgA test is a blood assessment that can be adequate in identifying celiac disease.

The next step in looking for celiac disease is to perform an upper endoscopy. To carry out this diagnostic, your GI doctor will check your small intestine for abnormalities by easing a thin scope with a camera gently down your esophagus. An upper endoscopy is often a quick procedure that is performed on an outpatient basis at a GI Alliance facility.

Treating celiac disease

Celiac disease is a chronic condition, but it may be taken care of by adopting a diet composed of gluten-free foods. To help different patients with celiac disease, adopting a gluten-free diet can serve to alleviate problems or even prompt the healing of the small intestine. Patients who have the condition and adopt a diet free of gluten often see improvements in their digestive system after a few weeks. Eradicating gluten from the diet might seem complicated in the beginning. However, through the guidance of a credentialed dietitian and physician at GI Alliance, people who have celiac disease can improve their nutrition and go on to have active lives.

Get in touch with our team if you think you might have celiac disease

Having celiac disease might harm your total health and interfere with many areas of your life. To find out more about celiac disease and how to best manage this condition, please get in touch with a GI Alliance location near you. We're here to help you live your most fulfilling life and navigate your new diagnosis.