Digestive Care Center, PLLC

Celiac disease is a condition in which the intestinal lining is sensitive to gluten (a protein in wheat). The lining of the intestine becomes small and thus unable to absorb nutrients. Celiac disease may cause abdominal symptoms, anemia and other nutritional deficiencies.
The diagnosis of celiac disease requires a high index of suspicion. A blood tests which checks for antibody to gluten is used for screening.	An endoscopy of the stomach and small intestine is needed to make diagnosis of celiac disease. A small piece of small intestine is taken for biopsy and checked for damage to small intestine villi.
The treatment of celiac disease requires a gluten free diet. After the diet change, it usually takes 3-6 months for intestine villi to return to normal. A gluten free diet is a lifetime commitment. Gluten free diet requires avoiding wheat, rye, barley and oats. This means avoiding pasta, bread, cereal and many processed foods. Click here for more information on celiac disease.