The Shocking Number of Conditions Associated with Celiac Disease

Celiac disease has gone from an unknown condition that almost no one was aware of to a more common condition that has changed how some supermarkets stock their shelves. However, there are also a surprising number of conditions that many patients may not be aware of.

Celiac disease is a serious condition that affects many people around the world. Fortunately, there are many different options for people who live with disease due to the amount of enterprises who have worked on alternative products that do not contain gluten. Not only have supermarkets catered to the needs of celiac patients, but there are also a growing amount of fun gluten-free recipes. Everyday there is a new ingredient that can replace food that normally contains gluten.

Although celiac disease is a condition that can be controlled with a strict gluten-free diet, in some cases this condition may not be diagnosed as celiac disease at first and be confused as a gluten allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Either way, undiagnosed celiac disease can affect someone's body greatly due to the number of conditions related to celiac disease. If someone does not feel immediate pain when eating gluten, it does not mean that they do not suffer from celiac disease, although pain and fatigue are some of the most common symptoms that are triggered by this autoimmune disease.

Research on conditions related to celiac disease

A common problem people with celiac disease face is the number of diseases that are related to it. Many people say that the stomach is like the body’s second brain, which is understandable because it is linked to many organs. Celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disease where the immune system's defenses attack the body, which will inevitably allow access for other associated diseases to affect cells.

This should not be mistaken as the situation all people suffering from celiac disease will go through. People with celiac disease may not be affected by other diseases, as it is dependent on many factors, but it is undeniable that some people have to face other conditions, especially if they have yet to be diagnosed with celiac disease.

These are some of the conditions linked to undiagnosed celiac disease:

• Aphthous stomatitis, or otherwise known as "canker sores." Although it may seem like it is just a symptom, it can actually also be defined as a disease that accompanies celiac disease. Why do people who suffer from celiac disease have these canker sores? Well, it is common for it to be apparent when someone is intolerant to gluten.
• While gluten attacks a part of the body called gastric epithelium, however, it also attacks the largest organ of all: the skin. In the form of Herpetiform Dermatitis, it is characterized by the apparition of blisters which tend to sting and burn a lot. This problem is usually presented in a symmetric way, if a blister appears on one elbow, it usually appears on the other one as well. Dermatitis is usually related to gluten hypersensitiveness; however, it should not be a problem for people who follow a strict diet.