Raising Awareness: What You Should Know About Celiac Disease
5/5/2023
Have you noticed that you experience GI (gastrointestinal) effects when consuming items containing gluten? GI symptoms that occur after eating gluten, like greasy stools, abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea, can result from celiac disease. An autoimmune condition, celiac disease causes an abnormal immune response to the protein found in grains known as gluten. This immune reaction arises when gluten is consumed, resulting in unpleasant GI symptoms. While there is presently no method for curing celiac disease, the gastrointestinal doctors at Colorado Gastroenterology in Denver, CO can diagnose and treat celiac disease symptoms.
How does celiac disease impact your body?
Those who have celiac disease should obtain a professional diagnosis and care from a skilled GI doctor. Celiac disease might cause harm to the body if it is not diagnosed or treated. This digestive disease could produce a lasting impact on the small intestine, where the majority of nutrients are taken up by a person's body. When the protein gluten is taken up in the small bowel, it stimulates an immune reaction. Your body then sends out a host of antibodies to destroy it. These antibodies may damage the lining of your small bowel, which could affect your GI tract's ability to collect nutrients from food.
Other possible long-term impacts of celiac disease involve:
- Liver disease
- Elevated risk of intestinal cancer
- Development of new food intolerances
- Scarring or ulcers in the GI tract
- Compromised immune system
What are the available treatments for celiac disease?
In general, the prime method to address celiac disease is to avoiding consuming products with gluten. Once you’ve been testing and diagnosis of celiac disease, it’s possible to put an end to discomforting symptoms once you stop eating gluten. In time, your intestinal lining will start to heal and start to receive nutrients. Due to the fact that there is no cure for this disease, those with the disease may want to maintain a diet void of gluten for the rest of their life to circumvent even more damage to their small intestine. Some treatments that could be recommended include:
- Continued follow-up care
- Corticosteroids
- Medication
- Supplements
If you need celiac disease treatment in Denver, CO, the team of gastrointestinal doctors at Colorado Gastroenterology are available. While the main form of treatment for is a gluten-free diet, it is very important that you are diagnosed with celiac disease before you cut out gluten entirely to find out if it negatively affects you.
Celiac disease vs. gluten intolerance: What’s the difference?
On the surface, celiac disease and gluten intolerance can seem alike. Both cause uncomfortable gastro symptoms after eating gluten. Similarities end there, however. As mentioned above, celiac disease is known to cause an atypical response in the body that can have a negative impact on your digestive tract in the long run. Gluten intolerance, though uncomfortable, won’t lead to long-term harm to the GI system. It can usually be alleviated by supplementing digestive enzymes to minimize GI symptoms. Symptoms of gluten intolerance and celiac disease symptoms are almost interchangeable, which is why if you notice symptoms after eating gluten, we suggest you make an appointment with a GI doctor to establish which condition you have.
Find support for celiac disease in Denver, CO
The team at Colorado Gastroenterology is devoted to elevating celiac disease awareness. One in every 133 people becomes diagnosed with celiac disease. Having celiac disease can completely change how you live your life, usually for the better. Once you’ve removed gluten, your body will start to heal from damage caused by eating gluten. While your body heals, the risk of having any of the above-mentioned long-term effects diminishes. For more information, reach out to a Colorado Gastroenterology location in your community. You can trust our gastrointestinal doctors in Denver, CO to help preserve and protect your GI wellness.