OVERVIEW
Celiac Disease is a condition that occurs as a result of eating a diet containing gluten components. Gluten is a protein found in dietary products like wheat, maize, Barley, and oats. It is not present in rice so one can eat rice without any of celiac disease symptoms. dietary gluten triggers an immune reaction inside the body which causes inflammation and damage to intestinal mucosa especially the second part of duodenum. It can cause a variety of negative disease symptoms and cause various essential nutritional deficiencies as well. Celiac disease has a chronic course and can be fatal if left untreated. It has a hereditary tendency and runs in the family of the affected individual.
Celiac Disease Symptoms
There are various symptoms of celiac disease. Some of which are given below.
1- Diarrhea:
One of the most common celiac disease symptoms experienced by the person suffering from celiac disease is diarrhea. It is experienced by 80% of people suffering from celiac disease. 60% of patients become symptomless when the treatment for celiac disease which is gluten free diet and medication for example antibiotics are started while 20% of patients suffering from celiac disease become chronic carriers of the disease.
The stools are watery in consistency and people suffer disease symptoms of diarrhea even before the disease is diagnosed. Appropriate treatment can reduce the celiac disease symptoms of diarrhea and patients may render asymptomatic for many years.
2- GAS:
Gas production is a disease symptom experienced by untreated cases of the disease. It is one of the most common celiac disease symptoms experienced and is caused by taking a high quantity of gluten in the diet. It is a common disease symptom in many people but studies have shown that gas production in other gastrointestinal tract diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, swallowing of air and lactose intolerance can cause the gas symptom of celiac disease and the individuals should be tested by the laboratory before marking it a symptom of celiac disease.
3- Bloating:
Bloating is one of the major disease symptoms of celiac disease. The celiac disease triggers an inflammatory reaction in the body which is hazardous to the body and may cause damage to the mucosa of the small intestine. this disease symptom of celiac disease may be eliminated if the diet containing gluten is removed. Some studies show that patients develop blotting even before the diagnosis of celiac disease is confirmed. blotting is experienced by a patient suffering from inflammatory bowel disease as well so the latter should be differentiated from celiac disease for proper treatment of disease symptoms of bloating of celiac disease.
4- Chronic Fatigue:
Chronic fatigue is one of the most common celiac disease symptoms. It is associated with decreased levels of energy. In people suffering from celiac disease, the pattern of sleep is disturbed in celiac disease and it causes the disease symptom of chronic fatigue. additional causes of chronic fatigue may include, iron deficiency anemia and nutritional deficiencies. These conditions predispose to chronic fatigue symptom experienced by people. it sometimes causes chest pain and respiratory symptoms as well.
5- Significant Weight Loss:
A large amount of weight reduction is a major celiac disease symptom experienced by the sufferers. It is because celiac disease is a malabsorptive syndrome and nutrients are not absorbed properly from the body. this loss of Nutrition absorption capacity of the body can lead to a decrease in weight. After treatment, most people do get their weight back but 7% of people to not gain the weight back even after the treatment of celiac disease was done.
6- Iron Deficiency Anemia:
Iron deficiency anemia is one of the major disease symptoms of it. Celiac disease is a malabsorptive disease and it decreases the absorption of iron from the diet and causes iron deficiency anemia. the celiac disease symptoms of anemia include pallor, dizziness, fatigue, headache, palpitations, chest pain and head lightness. There are many other causes of anemia and test must begin before confirmation of celiac disease. Various laboratory tests are present to rule out the celiac disease from other conditions causing iron deficiency anemia like peptic ulcer disease, dietary insufficiency, malabsorptive syndromes, menstrual loss, and use of aspirin.
7- Constipation:
The disease symptoms of diarrhea occur in certain people while celiac disease symptoms of constipation may occur in other people. The patient complains of constipation and as a result of straining there is blood in the stools. The blood in stool is due to anal fissure caused as a result of straining. It is one of the painful celiac disease symptoms when the food travels to the digestive tract the absorption process is activated but in the case of the celiac disease there is atrophy of intestinal villi and extra fluid is absorbed from the stools and it causes constipation.
One factor of the disease symptom of constipation is the diet is short of fibers so as to cut the gluten from the diet. The reduced level of fiber main causes constipation in patients suffering from celiac disease and causes celiac disease symptoms of constipation.
8- Rash of Celiac Disease:
Many people suffering from celiac disease experience Rash. The rash of celiac disease is also called as ‘dermatitis herpetiformis’. It is not a celiac disease symptoms as it occurs after the confirmation of celiac disease. It may be present on the back of elbows, in front of the knees, abdomen, and thighs. The rash is blistering in nature and is fluid-filled. this Rash may cause chronic itching and irritation. The Celiac Disease Rash resembles other conditions of the skin like Eczema, Psoriasis, dermatitis, hives, acne, and scabies so laboratory diagnosis for the disease symptom of dermatitis herpetiformis is to be done.
CONCLUSION
Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory disease. It is autoimmune in nature and by an autoimmune disease, we mean a disease in which the immune system attacks its own cells. Celiac disease as soon as diagnosed, should be treated, as delay in treatment can prolong the disease symptoms and severely damage Small intestinal mucosa. If the disease is left untreated it may cause hazardous celiac disease symptoms like a significant amount of weight loss, depression, chronic fatigue, and iron deficiency anemia.