What is celiac disease?
People with celiac disease are sick from gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, oats, rye, barley. These grains are in many foods. When people with celiac disease ingest gluten, they can suffer from diarrhea, constipation, bloating and fatigue.
Some people with celiac disease have no symptoms. Other people have stomach pain and are often tired, but do not know that celiac disease is the cause.
People with celiac disease have a strict diet. They can not eat food containing gluten in it.
What are the signs and symptoms of celiac disease?
Children can have a very young age suffer from celiac disease. What complaints have babies and children?
- They have a bulging belly.
- They have several times a day a lot of smelly, greasy stools.
- They usually grow poorly. They remain small and their arms and legs are often very thin.
- They are often weepy and whiny than other children.
- Puberty may be late.
Sometimes the first symptoms come on only when someone is already mature. Which complaints can get adults?
- Diarrhea that does not go over.
- Many creamy, foul-smelling stools.
- Blockage.
- Sad feelings.
- Underweight, often with remarkably thin arms and legs.
- Abdominal distention.
- Dizziness and fatigue due to anemia.
- Little appetite.
- Vomiting.
- Osteoporosis (brittle bones) and damage tooth enamel.
- Menstrual disorders and miscarriages.
People with celiac disease also have a higher risk of other diseases:
- Lactose intolerance (sensitivity to milk sugar).
- The skin disease dermatitis herpetiformis.
- Diabetes.
- Probably people with celiac disease are also more likely to have thyroid disease.
What causes celiac disease?
Celiac disease is caused by a problem with the immune system. The immune system protects the body against viruses, bacteria and other hazards. This intricate system may not work well. Therefore all kinds of diseases may arise, such as celiac disease.
In celiac disease, the damaged immune system effects on the small intestine. The small intestine can not handle gluten well. On the inside of the intestine is coated with intestinal villi. The gluten make these flakes broken. After a while they even disappear altogether. The villi are needed to incorporate good fabrics from the diet. That is less effective if there are few villi.
Doctors do not yet know how the problem arises with the immune system. It is known that heredity plays a role. Brothers, sisters and children of someone with celiac disease are more likely to have celiac disease than people who do not have celiac disease in the family.
How to diagnose celiac disease?
There is only one way to determine with certainty celiac disease: a colonoscopy. For that you get a tube through your mouth into your body and into the small intestine. This is called a gastroscopy.
The doctor has a special pair of pliers with a small piece from the inside of the small intestine road. This is called intestinal biopsy.
An intestinal biopsy is not a pleasant examination. You get this investigation only if there is strong evidence that you have celiac disease. Therefore, you first get a number of other investigations:
- You tell your doctor exactly what your symptoms. It is convenient for this purpose to create a list that takes you to the clinic.
- Your doctor see if your belly is established.
- You should probably get a blood sample.
In two of the ten kids a bowel biopsy is not necessarily needed. When an intestinal biopsy do not have?
- The child has the symptoms of celiac disease, as well:
- The child has had two blood tests with a certain rashes, and:
- Blood tests show that the child has a predisposition for celiac disease.
Gluten-free diet in celiac disease
The symptoms of celiac disease disappear if you do not eat more gluten. That sounds simple, but it is a very strict diet. Gluten is because in very many foods. Think of bread, pastry, semolina, barley, cereal, pasta, soups, sauces, meats and some medications. There are also gluten-free grains: rice, corn, buckwheat, soybeans, potatoes, amaranth, millet, teff, sorghum and tapioca. That should you simply eat.
A little bit of gluten gives complaints immediately. It is therefore important that you go to a dietician who knows a lot about gluten free food. They can help you with a good diet. You must continue to maintain the diet your whole life. Celiac disease is, in fact no longer.
After a few months looking at the doctor or the treatment helps. Then you will need each year to a specialist for control. You can then discuss your questions.
Most people feel better very quickly if they eat gluten. Sometimes after only a few days. It takes much longer to the small intestine is healthy again: usually a few years.
A small number of people will feel no better after the diet. Usually this is because someone still gets a little gluten inside.
Very rarely holds anyone complaints, as well he follows the diet. This is called refractory celiac disease. This happens especially if diagnosed late (after 50 years) has been provided.