Symptoms of coeliac disease
The symptoms of coeliac disease can be very confusing because they can be so varied and because they often mimic the symptoms of other, unrelated diseases.
For example, because coeliac disease damages the lining of the small bowel, it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or stomach pains.
However this is not always the case.
Because the disease causes malabsorption of essential nutrients, coeliac disease can often cause symptoms which result from nutrient deficiency such as anaemia, skin rashes, slow growth, headaches, extreme tiredness or difficulty in concentrating.
In untreated, long term cases, it can also result in early onset osteporosis, liver disease, cancer or infertility.
People with coeliac disease can have symptoms which range from severe to mild and sometimes, they show no symptoms at all. And while coeliac disease typically starts in childhood between the ages of four and seven years old, symptoms can present at any age, even in late adulthood.
For all these reasons, coeliac disease can be difficult to detect by symptoms alone and it is often mistaken for other illnesses including irritable bowel and chronic fatigue syndromes. This is why a confirmed diagnosis can only be made with a blood test followed by a biopsy. Click here to link to Diagnosis best practice.
However, the following indications or symptoms can indicate coeliac disease. If they are persistent or unexplained, the possibility of coeliac disease should be investigated by a doctor.
- Gastrointestinal symptoms including a bloated stomach, diarrhoea and/or constipation, stomach pains, nausea or vomiting.
- Extreme tiredness and lack of stamina.
- Persistent anaemia.
- Failure to thrive.
- Difficulty in concentrating.
- Early onset osteoporosis or osteopaenia.
- Impaired liver function.
- Weight loss.
- Infertility or recurrent miscarriages.
Because coeliac disease is hereditary and runs in families, people who have a relative with coeliac disease should have their children and themselves tested for coeliac disease as well.