Celiac disease is a digestive problem that hurts your small intestine. It stops your body from taking in nutrients from food. You may have celiac disease if you are sensitive to gluten. If you have celiac disease and eat foods with gluten, your immune system starts to hurt your small intestine.
Common symptoms
severe diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation. persistent or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. recurrent stomach pain, cramping or bloating.
It affects the small intestine – the part of the digestive system responsible for absorbing nutrients. If you have coeliac disease, eating gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats – causes damage to the lining of your small intestine.
Contents. Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten. This damages your gut (small intestine) so your body cannot properly take in nutrients. Coeliac disease can cause a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating.
People with diagnosed celiac disease who follow a gluten-free diet typically experience gastrointestinal symptoms following an accidental glutening. Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and gas are common reactions to gluten in people with celiac disease.
In most cases, symptoms develop within 60 minutes but, for a small percentage of people, symptoms are delayed by 12 hours or more. The same may be true for individuals with gluten sensitivity. Some of the most common symptoms of gluten exposure include: Bloating.
Nausea within two hours after eating appears the most reliable indicator of substantial gluten intake. People with celiac disease who experience persistent abdominal discomfort may miss the mark if they blame it on accidental gluten.
Celiac disease can be painful. Some common pain symptoms are: Stomach pain or swelling (bloating) that keeps coming back. Muscle cramps or bone pain.
Gluten intolerance is when you get sick after eating gluten. You might feel bloated, gassy or tired. Gluten is a protein found in many foods, especially wheat. Gluten intolerance is also called non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Key Points about Celiac Disease
In both gluten intolerance and celiac disease, the body mounts an immune response against gluten, leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea and vomiting, bloating and gas, and constipation.
If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine's lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients (malabsorption).
Despite awareness efforts, celiac disease is often confused with other gluten-related disorders — like non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or a wheat allergy. Both seem similar to celiac disease, but are different conditions.
Coeliac disease (British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine, where individuals develop intolerance to gluten, present in foods such as wheat, rye and barley.
The only way to manage the symptoms of celiac disease is to eat a strict gluten-free diet. Eating foods without gluten lets your small intestine heal, and stops future problems and inflammation. You'll need to avoid any foods made with wheat and wheat flour.
The symptoms may last from a few hours to a few days. Coeliac disease is known as a 'multi system' disorder – symptoms can affect any area of the body. Symptoms differ between individuals in terms of type and severity.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance may include constipation, fatigue, headaches, and nausea. Those who report gluten intolerance say regular instances of diarrhea and constipation are a common symptom.
Celiac disease is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction where symptoms develop 48-72 hours after ingestion of the offending food which is in contrast to IgE-mediated food allergies where symptoms develop rather quickly.
The term gluten belly is used to define the feeling that some people experience after eating foods containing gluten. This sensation usually consists of feeling sick, tired, or bloated.
For some patients with celiac disease, it can be extremely difficult to go to sleep when they first go to bed or fall back asleep if they wake up in the middle of the night. In addition, some complain of sleep disturbances, like nightmares or restless leg syndrome, and often resort to sleeping tablets.
If you have celiac disease, consuming gluten triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the intestines. Even the smallest particle of gluten can cause a serious reaction and intestinal damage that could take months to heal.
MYTH: A person with celiac disease can tolerate a small amount of dietary gluten once in a while. FACT: It's best to stay away from gluten completely.