Autoimmune Disease
How common is Celiac disease
How common
is celiac disease?
Data on the prevalence of celiac disease is spotty. In Italy about 1 in 250 people, and in Ireland about 1 in 300 people, have celiac disease. Recent studies have shown that it
may be more common in Africa, South America, and Asia than previously believed.
Until recently, celiac disease was thought to be uncommon in the United States. However, studies have
shown that celiac disease is very common. Recent findings estimate about 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease, or about 1 in 133 people. Among people who have a first-degree relative
diagnosed with celiac disease, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
Celiac disease could be underdiagnosed in the United States for a number of reasons including:
Celiac
symptoms can be attributed to other problems.
Many doctors and health care providers are not knowledgeable about the disease.
Only a small number of U.S. laboratories are experienced and skilled
in testing for celiac disease.
More research is needed to learn the true prevalence of celiac disease among Americans.
Diseases Linked to Celiac Disease
People with celiac disease
tend to have other autoimmune diseases. The connection between celiac disease and these diseases may be genetic. These diseases include
thyroid disease
systemic lupus erythematosus
type 1 diabetes
liver disease
collagen vascular disease
rheumatoid arthritis
Sjogren's syndrome
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Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a
severe, itchy, blistering skin manifestation of celiac disease. Not all people with celiac disease develop dermatitis herpetiformis. The rash usually occurs on the elbows, knees, and buttocks. Unlike other
forms of celiac disease, the range of intestinal abnormalities in DH is highly variable, from minimal to severe. Only about 20 percent of people with DH have intestinal symptoms of celiac disease.
To
diagnose DH, the doctor will test the person's blood for autoantibodies related to celiac disease and will biopsy the person's skin. If the antibody tests are positive and the skin
biopsy has the typical findings of DH, patients do not need to have an intestinal biopsy. Both the skin disease and the intestinal disease respond to a gluten-free diet and recur if gluten is added
back into the diet. In addition, the rash symptoms can be controlled with medications such as dapsone (4',4'diamino-diphenylsuphone). However, dapsone does not treat the intestinal condition and people
with DH should also maintain a gluten-free diet.
Hope through Research
The Celiac Disease is fully reversible by homeopathic treatment by a remedy called mercuris please read our
e-book for guidelines on how to use this treatment.
Points to Remember
People with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats.
Untreated celiac disease damages the small intestine and interferes
with nutrient absorption.
Without treatment, people with celiac disease can develop complications like cancer, osteoporosis, anemia, and seizures.
A person with celiac disease may or may not have
symptoms.
Diagnosis involves blood tests and a biopsy of the small intestine.
Since celiac disease is hereditary, family members of a person with celiac disease may wish to be tested.
Celiac disease is treated by eliminating all gluten from the diet. The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement.
A dietitian can teach a person with celiac disease food selection, label reading, and other strategies to help manage the disease.
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