Signs of Celiac Disease

Contents

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources for Celiac Disease may include:

Digestive symptoms - some people will notice digestive symptoms such as:
more symptoms...»

Note that Celiac Disease symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Celiac Disease signs may often refer to those signs that are only noticable by a doctor.

Signs or Symptoms of Celiac Disease:

Celiac Disease: NIDDK (Excerpt)

Celiac disease affects people differently. Some people develop symptoms as children, others as adults. One factor thought to play a role in when and how celiac appears is whether and how long a person was breastfed--the longer one was breastfed, the later symptoms of celiac disease appear, and the more atypical the symptoms. Other factors include the age at which one began eating foods containing gluten and how much gluten is eaten.

Symptoms may or may not occur in the digestive system. For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children.

Symptoms of celiac disease may include one or more of the following:

recurring abdominal bloating and pain
chronic diarrhea
weight loss
pale, foul-smelling stool
unexplained anemia (low count of red blood cells)
gas
bone pain
behavior changes
muscle cramps
fatigue
delayed growth
failure to thrive in infants
pain in the joints
seizures
tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage)
pale sores inside the mouth, called aphthus ulcers
painful skin rash, called dermatitis herpetiformis
tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)

Anemia, delayed growth, and weight loss are signs of malnutrition--not getting enough nutrients. Malnutrition is a serious problem for anyone, but particularly for children because they need adequate nutrition to develop properly.

Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms. The undamaged part of their small intestine is able to absorb enough nutrients to prevent symptoms. However, people without symptoms are still at risk for the complications of celiac disease. (Source: excerpt from Celiac Disease: NIDDK)

Facts and Fallacies About Digestive Diseases: NIDDK (Excerpt)

These symptoms may be vague and therefore attributed to other conditions. Symptoms can include bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rash, anemia, and thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). Celiac disease may cause such nonspecific symptoms for several years before being correctly diagnosed and treated. (Source: excerpt from Facts and Fallacies About Digestive Diseases: NIDDK)

More Symptoms of Celiac Disease:

More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Celiac Disease article. In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by:

Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

These general reference articles may be related to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

What are the signs of Celiac Disease?

The phrase "signs of Celiac Disease" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Celiac Disease that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Celiac Disease" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Celiac Disease.

The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Celiac Disease. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Celiac Disease has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Celiac Disease signs or Celiac Disease symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Celiac Disease may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Celiac Disease symptoms.

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