How Celiac Disease is looming to be an epidemic?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which is triggered when you eat gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, rye, and grains. If someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their body overreacts and damages their small intestine. If your small intestine is injured, you cannot properly absorb nutrients from food. This can lead to malnourishment, miscarriage, loss of bone density, infertility, neurological diseases and certain cancers.

The symptoms of celiac disease make it difficult to identify, as the symptoms can indicate other diseases as well. Common symptoms include bloating, bone or joint pain, constipation, gas, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and weight loss.

Most people who have celiac disease do not know that they have it. The damage to the small intestine is very slow and symptoms are so varied that it can take years to get a diagnosis. The diagnosis rate of celiac disease is only 5%, which is why celiac disease is looming to be an epidemic.

The prevalence rate of celiac disease globally is 1%. In India, celiac disease is more prevalent among North Indians, where wheat is primarily grown and consumed as the staple meal. States where celiac disease is prominent are Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Studies show that the prevalence of celiac disease has been doubling every 20 years. The increase in cases could be due to an overall increase in the consumption of wheat, usage of the new strain of wheat, and an increased use of antibiotics.

The symptoms of celiac disease make it difficult to identify, as the symptoms can indicate other diseases as well. Common symptoms include bloating, bone or joint pain, constipation, gas, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and weight loss. Children with celiac disease are more likely to have these intestinal problems. Males can present with severe iron deficiency ammonia, if celiac disease prevents a child’s body from absorbing the nutrients they need, they can have problems such as delayed puberty, anemia, mood swings, slow growth, and neurological problems.

If you have any of the above symptoms, you could have celiac disease. You can book an online consultation or an appointment with a physician or pediatrician in Gurgaon at Paras Hospital to have your symptoms checked. Doctors use various blood tests such as Anti Ttg IgA levels complete blood count test, etc. to diagnose the disease. If the blood tests are inconclusive, an endoscopy is required.

It is best to get tested for celiac disease if you show any of the symptoms as it adversely affects your body in several ways. There are no drugs to treat the disease. The best thing to do is to change your diet and avoid gluten.