Health's Book

Definition

Celiac disease is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.

Symptoms

The symptoms of celiac disease can vary significantly from person to person. This is part of the reason the diagnosis is frequently delayed. For example, one person may have constipation, a second may have diarrhea, and a third may have no irregularity in stools.

A partial listing of gastrointestinal symptoms:

* Abdominal pain
* Abdominal distention, bloating, gas, indigestion
* Constipation
* Decreased appetite (may also be increased or unchanged)
* Diarrhea, chronic or occasional
* Lactose intolerance (common upon diagnosis, usually goes away following treatment)
* Nausea and vomiting
* Stools that float, are foul smelling, bloody, or “fatty”
* Unexplained weight loss (although people can be overweight or of normal weight upon diagnosis)

A partial listing of nonintestinal symptoms:

* Anemia (low blood count)
* Bone and joint pain
* Bone disease (osteoporosis, kyphoscoliosis, fracture)
* Breathlessness (due to anemia)
* Bruising easily
* Dental enamel defects and discoloration
* Depression
* Fatigue
* Growth delay in children
* Hair loss
* Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
* Irritability and behavioral changes
* Malnutrition
* Mouth ulcers
* Muscle cramps
* Nosebleed
* Seizures
* Short stature, unexplained
* Skin disorders (dermatitis herpetiformis)
* Swelling, general or abdominal
* Vitamin or mineral deficiency, single or multiple nutrient (for example, iron, folate, vitamin K)