Coeliac Awareness Month

Coeliac Awareness Month is celebrated in May each year. The month is dedicated to raising awareness about coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, and encouraging early diagnosis. This condition affects 1 in 100 people in the UK yet only around a third of these are medically diagnosed, meaning there are hundreds of thousands of people living in the UK who are experiencing symptom yet undiagnosed.

Coeliac disease is an condition where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when you eat gluten. The immune system attacks the small intestine, which causes damage to the lining of the gut and means the body can’t properly absorb nutrients from food. Coeliac disease is not an allergy or food intolerance.

It has a wide range of symptoms, which can vary from mild to severe and often they come and go. Common symptoms include:

• Diarrhoea

• Abdominal pain

• Bloating and flatulence

• Indigestion

• Constipation

• Nausea and vomiting

• Fatigue

• Unexpected weight loss

• An itchy rash

• Infertility

• Headaches

• Numbness in fingers and toes

Coeliac disease is caused by an abnormal immune system reaction to the protein gluten, which is found in foods such as bread, pasta, cereals and biscuits. The immune system mistakes one of the substances that makes up gluten as a threat to the body and produces antibodies against them.

Due to the wide range of symptoms it can often take time to accurately diagnose whilst other conditions are ruled out. Speaking with your GP about your symptoms can get you the tests you need. Testing for Coeliac disease involves having a blood test. You may also need a biopsy of the small intestine, to confirm the diagnosis. While being tested for Coeliac disease, you'll need to eat foods containing gluten to ensure the tests are accurate.

If diagnosed, the only treatment for Coeliac disease is a gluten free diet. Once gluten is removed from your diet, your symptoms should improve and you should start to feel much better, however, it may take up to a few years for your digestive system to heal completely.

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