Celiac Disease Symptoms & Diagnosis
By Nancy Lapid, About.com Guide to Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which eating gluten (proteins in wheat, barley, and rye) causes the body's immune system to damage the small intestine. Learn what the symptoms are and how celiac disease is diagnosed.
- Getting Used to a Celiac Disease Diagnosis
- Who's at Risk?
- When to Suspect Celiac Disease
- Testing for Celiac Disease
- Common Questions about Celiac Disease
Getting Used to a Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Learn some basic facts about celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten enteropathy).
- What is Celiac Disease?
- You Have Celiac Disease. Now What?
- Common Celiac Disease Myths
- The Gluten-Free Diet
- Finding a Nutritionist
- Celiac Disease Information in Spanish
- First Steps When a Child is Diagnosed
- When Will You Start to Feel Better?
- Learning to Cope
Who's at Risk?
Celiac disease was once thought to be rare. Now we know better.
- Who's at Risk for Celiac Disease?
- How Many People Have Celiac Disease?
- How Many Get Diagnosed Every Year?
- Can You Outgrow It?
- Are My Relatives at Risk?
- Aren't People with Celiac Disease Always Thin?
- Celiac Disease in Elderly People
- Breastfeeding, Solid Food, and Celiac Disease
When to Suspect Celiac Disease
The signs and symptoms of celiac disease are easy to confuse with other medical conditions. Many patients wait a long time for the correct diagnosis.
- Celiac Disease Symptoms
- Complications of Untreated Celiac Disease
- Alopecia Areata
- Anemia
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis (The "Gluten Rash")
- Depression
- Eating Disorder, or Celiac Disease?
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or Celiac Disease?
- Lactose Intolerance
- Osteoporosis
- Short Stature
Testing for Celiac Disease
To diagnose celiac disease, doctors rely on a combination of blood tests, small intestine biopsies, and the body’s response to the gluten-free diet.
- Diagnosing Celiac Disease
- What's an Endoscopy Like?
- Genetic Testing for Celiac Disease
- Finding a Doctor Who Understands
- What's an Autoimmune Disorder?
- Refractory (Unresponsive) Celiac Disease
- U.S. Hospitals with Celiac Disease Clinics
Common Questions about Celiac Disease
It's natural to have lots of questions about celiac disease. Here are some common ones.
