Celiac disease: diagnosis by endoscopy
Celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a reaction in the body that damages the villi located in the small intestine, which is responsible for absorbing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food that has been ingested.
What are the causes of celiac disease?
The precise causes of celiac disease are unknown, although genes combined with the consumption of gluten-containing foods and other factors are known to contribute to its presence.
For people with celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in the small intestine, a reaction that gradually damages the lining of the small intestine, preventing the absorption of some nutrients.
This intestinal damage often causes diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, or anemia, with the potential for serious complications.
What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
There are different symptoms and these can vary widely between children and adults. Digestive signs or symptoms in adults include:
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Constipation.
- Fatigue.
- Gases.
- Swelling.
- Nausea.
- Weight loss.
- Vomit.
While children with celiac disease are more likely to have digestive problems than adults:
- Swollen abdomen
- Chronic diarrhea.
- Constipation.
- Gases.
- Pale, foul-smelling stools.
- Nausea.
- Vomit.
Although celiac disease symptoms are related to the digestive system, more than half of adults show unrelated signs such as:
- Anemia, usually due to iron deficiency.
- Decreased spleen function.
- Joint pain.
- Headache.
- Itchy, blistering rash.
- Fatigue.
- Nervous system injuries that may include numbness or tingling in the feet, imbalance, and cognitive impairment.
- Osteoporosis or bone softening.
- Mouth ulcers.
While in children symptoms not related to the digestive system include:
- Anemia.
- Short height.
- Damage to tooth enamel.
- Irritability.
- Weight loss.
- Late puberty
- Delayed babies’ development.
- Neurological symptoms such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, headaches, or seizures.
When to perform a celiac disease analysis?
Celiac disease is considered a hereditary disease. You should ask your doctor if you should have an endoscopic celiac disease test if someone in your family suffers from this condition.
Also in case of suffering from diarrhea or digestive discomfort for more than two weeks.
ABC Medical Center has the College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation for our Clinical Laboratory, Surgical Pathology, and Blood Bank for meeting the quality standards in human resources, equipment, facilities, analytical methodology, and computer systems.
At ABC Medical Center’s Nutrition & Obesity Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuentes
https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/multimedia/celiac-disease/img-20008072
https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352220
