Celiac Disease Essay

I was 7 years old and lying in bed trying to fall asleep, but, as usual, the constant, nagging pain in my stomach wouldn’t subside. I had thrown off my blankets in case I was too hot, I had tried falling asleep in different positions, and I had even gotten some antacids, but nothing was helping. Finally, I called for my parents and they came upstairs. As always, they asked me what my pain level was on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst; I said it was a 6.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease triggered by ingestion, of gluten-containing foods. The disease results from inappropriate T cells immune response against gliadin in genetically predisposed people. Individuals with this disorder have high levels of antibodies to a variety of antigens. The resulting immune response produces a strong inflammatory reaction that results in loss of absorptive villi from the small intestine. After the subsequent lesions are widespread, they may weaken absorption of macronutrients and micronutrients. Small bowel involvement

A 35-year-old male presents to the clinic with a long history of gas and flatulence, diarrhea and nausea after consuming milk or dairy products. Patient has a family history of celiac disease and therefore you advised the patient to be tested for Celiac disease. Which statement is correct regarding celiac disease testing?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten damages the lining of the small intestine and thus leads to a wide range of symptoms and health issues. However, it is often confused with gluten intolerance or misrepresented as a dietary restriction. Consequently, most people assume cutting off pasta and baked goods from one’s diet for a limited period of time is enough to cure it. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness of the true definition of celiac disease and to familiarize people with the seriousness of this illness. This blog is my platform to share my story with this medical condition. My aim is to highlight the fact that having celiac is a lifelong journey that goes far beyond bread and cookies. My ultimate goal is to reveal the impact of the disease on one’s lifestyle and to uncover the concealed and invisible aspects of being celiac.

For example Celiac Disease, Celiac disease is a disorder caused by a sensitivity to gluten.

2. Adult Symptoms are less likely to have digestive symptoms. Some symptoms include anemia, fatigue, bone or joint pain, arthritis, bone loss, depression, migraines, or itchy skin rashes. 3. According to world renowned Dr. Charles N. Bernstein, author of, World Gastroenterology Organization Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of IBS, in 2010, there are two different types of celiac disease.

A report from Reuters states that draft guidelines presented by U.S. doctors say there isn’t enough evidence yet to prove that widespread screening for celiac disease is necessary.

In fact half of the adult celiac disease patients coming to PGI do not have any abdominal symptoms. The most common non –gastrointestinal symptom is iron deficiency anemia followed by weight loss. Celiac disease symptoms can also mimic those of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, parasite infections, skin disorders or bone disease. Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including irritability or depression, joint pains, muscle cramps, mouth sores, dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis), and tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy).

Celiac disease (CD) is marked by an inability to absorb gluten. Gluten, also known as glutenin, is a protein found in “wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and triticale” (Turner and Torkos). The problem with the disease is that it is an “autoimmune disorder in which the immune system responds to gluten by damaging the small intestine” (Turner and Torkos). This damage to the small intestine is “characterized by villous atrophy” in people who are “genetically susceptible” (Parnell and Ciclitira). The disorder may latent for years and then suddenly cause horrendous symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome. There is danger in a misdiagnosis because many high fiber foods used to help control irritable bowel syndrome are gluten

Celiac disease seems to be on an up rise today. You now walk into grocery stores and restaurants and see gluten-free food everywhere. Thankfully, for the celiac disease community, life has become a little easier with these accommodations. When most people hear celiac disease many just think gluten-free diets, but they do not realize that celiac disease can affect all parts of the body and mind, or that the disease has a higher prevalence in women. It is a new lifestyle that many have to take on. In the next few pages, I will discuss the affects that this disease has on the body systems, the lifestyle changes many make when diagnosed with celiac disease, and the importance of educating those who are dealing with the disease on a day to day basis. I also will discuss information from two articles which focus in on the direct affects that the disease takes on women living with it, and the lifestyle changes that are necessary to manage the symptoms.

Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune digestive disorder that damages the hair-like structures (villi) on the lining of the small intestine. This hampers the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream and leads to malnourishment. Celiac disease is the world’s most common genetic autoimmune disorder, affecting three million Americans, or about 1 in 141 people.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body’s immune system is responsible for the ill symptoms by attacking the body’s cells. This is different from an allergy, in that basophils and eosinophil are specifically responsible for allergic responses (Celiac Disease Foundation). When an individual with coeliac disease consumes wheat, barley, or rye [which contain the protein gluten]; it triggers the immune system to attack the body. The small intestine is usually a main target; specifically the villi, which are finger-like projections that line the small

The amount of small intestine damaged due to a loss of villi determines the severity of symptoms due to the diseases. Severe signs and symptoms of malabsorption are evident in people whose small intestine is affected by a loss of villi (Marks). Therefore this explains the various problems a person with celiac disease encounters.

Also, in some rare cases, surgery is required, life threatening bleeding, perforation of the intestine and inflammation of the abnormal cavity may occur. Other risk factors are inflammation of the joints, eyes, skin and/or liver, malnutrition and partial blocking of the bile ducts which carry bile from the liver to the intestine, however, there is much that can be done about all these complications. One risk and a major one is colon cancer. The risk of developing colon cancer increases when the disorder begins in the childhood, the disorder has been present for more then 8 years and when there is a history of colon cancer in the family. There have cases that colitis can become so severe that the removal of the colon had to be done. It affects everyone differently.

Celiac disease is a fairly common disease but is not very well known. Celiac disease, or celiac sprue, is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten (Hill, Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of celiac disease in children, 2011). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients (Hill, Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of celiac disease in children, 2011).