What is celiac disease and can it be cured

What is celiac disease

Celiac diseaseCeliac disease / Mayo Clinic Celiac disease, or celiac disease, is a pathology in which the human immune system considers the gluten protein contained in many cereals to be something dangerous and develops antibodies to it. This leads to inflammation of the intestines, a change in the structure of its villi covering the mucous membrane, impaired digestion and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms.

What are the symptoms of celiac disease

The disease can proceedCeliac disease / NHS both in a very mild and extremely severe form. Sometimes there are no manifestations at all, and pathology is found by chance during examination for another reason. In other cases, such signs appear.Celiac disease / NHS:

• diarrhea;
• abdominal pain;
• bloating and flatulence;
• indigestion that manifests itselfIndigestion / NHS in the form of heartburn, belching, feeling of satiety, bitterness in the mouth and regurgitation;
• constipation;
• vomit;
• a feeling of fatigue that arises from development anemia;
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• sudden weight loss;
• itchy skin rash;
• tingling and numbness in the hands;
• violation of coordination, balance, speech (ataxia);
• swelling in the arms and legs.

With celiac disease, the absorption of nutrients is impaired. Therefore, a person may develop exhaustion, and children in this case grow poorly.

Also, due to immune reactions, the skin is sometimes damaged and dermatitis herpetiformis occurs. With it, a rash, blisters appear on the elbows, knees, buttocks and less often in other places, which can burst and strongly itch.

Why does celiac disease occur?

The reaction occurs after eating foods containing wheat, barley or rye. Why this happens is not known exactly. Scientists assume they are to blameCeliac disease / NHS several factors:

• Heredity. Researchers have found genes with a higher risk of symptoms. In addition, in families where parents have celiac disease, it can manifest itself in children.
• Environmental factors. If a child began to eat food with gluten before the age of three months or was artificially fed when complementary foods were introduced, then the risk of developing celiac disease increases. It can also occur if you get sick in childhood. rotavirus infection.
• Other violations. It has been noticed that with type 1 diabetes mellitus, thyroid pathologies, ulcerative colitis, epilepsy, Down syndrome and Turner's syndrome, the likelihood of celiac disease increases.

Why celiac disease is dangerous

After a while, such consequences may arise.Celiac disease / Mayo Clinic diseases:

• Osteoporosis or rickets. They develop in adults and children, respectively, due to impaired absorption of calcium and vitamin D in the intestine.
• Infertility and miscarriage. The reason is the same - vitamin D deficiency.
• Lactose intolerance. Due to damage to the intestinal villi, a person will not be able to digest this type of sugar, so dairy products will worsen the condition.
• Cancer. If the victim does not follow a gluten-free diet, then due to chronic inflammation they have a higher risk of malignant tumor.
• Pathology of the nervous system. Due to lack of vitamins seizures or peripheral neuropathy may occur.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?

A physician or gastroenterologist may order such an examination.Celiac disease / Mayo Clinic :

• Serological analysis. With its help, antibodies to gluten are looked for in the blood.
• Genetic testing. It helps detect the leukocyte antigens that are characteristic of celiac disease.
• Upper endoscopy. A tube with a video camera is inserted through the patient's mouth to examine the small intestine. If necessary, take a tissue biopsy for analysis.
• Capsule endoscopy. A person swallows a tiny capsule with a video camera that goes through the entire digestive tract, takes pictures and transfers them to a computer.

How Celiac Disease Is Treated

You cannot get rid of the disease forever. The only way to reduce flare-ups is to follow a strict gluten-free diet. Therefore, you need to avoid food that contains wheat, rye, barley. In addition to baked goods, semolina, bulgur, traces of gluten can be found in other places, including in non-food products. Here is a sample list.Celiac disease / Mayo Clinic :

• products containing modified starch, stabilizers and preservatives;
• some medications;
• vitamin and mineral supplements;
• herbal food supplements;
• lipstick;
• toothpaste and mouthwash;
• glue for envelopes;
• dough for modeling.

In addition to diet, the doctor may prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements to compensate for the deficiency of nutrients in the body. Sometimes drugs are prescribed to reduce inflammation in the intestines. These can be steroid hormones or immunosuppressants.