Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that occurs when gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains, is consumed. Celiac disease triggers the immune system to attack gluten in the small intestine. This attack damages the small intestine and prevents it from functioning properly. Let’s learn more about celiac disease, its causes, symptoms, and the latest methods of diagnosis and treatment with Dr. Mohamed Al Boraie.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune and hereditary immune disorder that causes a reaction in the body to gluten protein.
The gluten in your digestive system stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies against it. These antibodies lead to damage to the mucous membrane lining the small intestine.
Damage to the mucous membrane in the small intestine weakens its ability to absorb nutrients from your food, causing a deficiency in nutrients.
The mucous membrane lining the small intestine has many folds and protrusions resembling fingers. These folds and protrusions increase the surface area for better absorption of nutrients during digestion. Celiac disease causes erosion and flattening of these protrusions, reducing the surface area.
Is Celiac Disease Serious?
Yes, the small intestine absorbs nutrients from food through the mucous membrane. If the mucous membrane is damaged, you won’t be able to absorb nutrients properly, leading to malabsorption, malnutrition, and various other conditions resulting from deficiencies in different nutrients. In children, it can even lead to growth retardation.
Causes of Celiac Disease
Many autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, are hereditary, meaning a specific genetic mutation passed through family lines makes you more susceptible to it. Other factors also contribute to the causes of the disease.
Celiac disease is often manifested between 8 and 12 months when children start consuming solid foods containing gluten, such as biscuits or gluten-containing grains.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Symptoms vary widely among individuals, with some showing no symptoms, while others may experience digestive issues after gluten consumption. Symptoms of malnutrition may appear when damage prevents nutrient absorption, with anemia symptoms often being the first to show.
Digestive symptoms may include stomach pain, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and fatty stools. Anemia-related symptoms include weakness, fatigue, pale skin, cold hands, and brittle or ridged nails. Other malnutrition symptoms may include unintended weight loss, delayed growth in children, muscle wasting, dental enamel defects, mood changes, and, in children, irritability and in adults, depression.
Approximately 15% of people with celiac disease develop a chronic skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis as a side effect. It is caused by the same gluten antibodies that damage the small intestine and presents as itchy bumps or blisters, typically affecting elbows, knees, buttocks, or scalp.
Diagnosis of Celiac Disease
It is important to test for celiac disease before attempting a gluten-free diet to reveal the impact of gluten on your body.
- Blood test for antibodies against gluten that harm the intestines.
- Small tissue sample from the small intestine examined under a microscope. This involves an endoscopy where a small camera is passed through your body via a long, thin tube. The upper endoscopy passes the camera down the throat to the first part of the small intestine, then directs the camera and passes tools through the tube to take a sample.
After confirming celiac disease, your doctor may conduct blood tests to check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which may require direct treatment with supplements. Common results include iron-deficiency anemia, vitamin-deficiency anemia, and vitamin D deficiency.
Treatment for Celiac Disease
The most crucial step in treating celiac disease is to stop consuming gluten. Although you cannot change how your body reacts to gluten, you can prevent gluten from triggering this reaction.
When you stop consuming gluten, your small intestine will begin to heal, and you will soon be able to absorb nutrients again. However, maintaining a strict gluten-free diet for life is necessary to avoid harming the small intestine again.
Treatment may also include:
- Nutritional supplements to compensate for any nutrient deficiencies.
- Medications to treat skin inflammation, such as dapsone.
- Corticosteroids for severe inflammation.
- Regular tests to ensure disease control.
Symptoms begin to improve immediately after starting a gluten-free diet. It may take several weeks to compensate for your nutritional deficiencies and several months for the complete healing of the intestines.
In some cases, it may take longer, depending on the extent and duration of damage. Failure to diagnose and treat correctly or failure to avoid gluten afterward can lead to more serious and long-term effects of celiac disease.
Best Doctor for Celiac Disease treatment
Dr. Mohamed Al Boraie is considered the best doctor for treating celiac disease. He is a liver and digestive system consultant, endoscopy specialist, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in England, and a member of the American College of Gastroenterology. Currently,Dr. Mohamed Al Boraie is a lecturer in internal medicine, liver, and digestive system at Al-Azhar University’s Faculty of Medicine in Cairo.
Dr. Mohamed Al Boraie actively participates in various local and international scientific conferences and has numerous scientific research publications in prestigious medical journals.
Book your appointment now if you would like to consult with Dr. Mohamed Al Boraie regarding celiac disease, its causes, symptoms, and the latest methods of diagnosis and treatment.