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Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Ⓒ 2024 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved Health A-Z Digestive Health Celiac Disease Diagnosis Symptoms Living With Nutrition Gluten Sensitivity Related Conditions Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD Updated on January 30, 2023 Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which foods that contain the protein gluten —found in wheat, barley, and rye—trigger your white blood cells to attack the lining of your small intestine. Celiac has a wide range of potential symptoms, from abdominal pain to headaches. These symptoms and intestinal damage can be largely reversed once you’re diagnosed and follow a gluten-free diet —the only current treatment for the condition. Understanding Celiac Disease Celiac Disease Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know Gluten: What It Is, Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Sensitivity, Gluten-Free Diet Do You Have IBS, Celiac Disease, or Gluten Sensitivity? Do You Have Celiac Disease Forever? Frequently Asked Questions How can I get tested for celiac disease? The best way to be tested for celiac disease is to discuss your symptoms with a doctor. They can perform blood tests, an endoscopy, and a biopsy to look for signs. You might be tempted to test yourself at home by going gluten-free . However, this is not only difficult, it could hamper your doctor’s efforts to diagnose you, as gluten-related damage must be present for celiac to be identified. Learn More How Celiac Disease Is Diagnosed What causes celiac disease? Experts aren’t certain what causes celiac disease, but many believe it starts with a genetic potential and then requires a triggering event, such as a period of extreme stress or pregnancy. However, some people with a gradual onset might not have this kind of trigger. Learn More Causes and Risk Factors of Celiac Disease Is celiac disease genetic? Research suggests that some people have the genetic potential to develop celiac disease and it can run in families. Having a close relative who’s diagnosed with celiac increases your risk of developing it, but even having multiple relatives with the disease is no guarantee you’ll end up with it. You may learn more about your risk via genetic testing . Learn More Celiac Disease and Familial Risk How is celiac disease diagnosed? Celiac disease is typically diagnosed with blood tests and an endoscopy . Blood tests look for an antibody produced by the immune system of people with celiac in response to gluten’s presence in the digestive tract. In an endoscopy, a doctor uses a scope to examine your small intestine and take samples to look at under a microscope. If those samples show villous atrophy , it means you have celiac. Learn More Diagnosing Celiac Disease Is celiac an allergy or an autoimmune disease? A lot of people refer to it as a gluten allergy, but celiac is an autoimmune disease . That means the immune system has mistakenly identified gluten in your small intestine as a threat, as if it were a virus or other pathogen. It then creates antibodies that attack the small intestine, trying to destroy the gluten. Some people are allergic to wheat, but that’s not the same thing as celiac. Learn More Wheat Allergy vs. Celiac Disease What are the symptoms of celiac disease? Celiac can cause more than 200 symptoms all throughout your body, but the primary ones are digestive. Common symptoms include: Diarrhea and/or constipation that may alternate Bloating Abdominal pain Fatigue Headaches or migraines Skin conditions , especially dermatitis herpetiformis Symptoms can vary greatly. Some people with celiac have no symptoms at all. Learn More Symptoms of Celiac Disease Symptoms Celiac Disease Symptoms Celiac Disease Affects Women Differently - Here’s How Celiac Disease Symptoms in Men Surprising Symptoms Could Mean Your Child Has Celiac Disease Treatment and Nutrition Beyond a Gluten-Free Diet: Treating Celiac Disease An Overview of the Gluten-Free Diet What Terms on a Food Label Really Mean ’Gluten’? Key Terms Anemia Autoimmune Disease Biopsy Dermatitis Herpetiformis Endoscopy Gluten Gluten-Free Diet Intestinal Disease Malnutrition tTG-IgA Test Anemia Anemia is the medical term for deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. The most common form, iron-deficiency anemia, is related to celiac disease because damage to the small intestine creates problems with absorbing nutrients from food. Anemia symptoms can include: Dizziness Fatigue Feeling cold Headache Heart palpitations Shortness of breath Weakness Why Anemia and Celiac Disease Are Often Found Together Autoimmune Disease Autoimmune diseases involve a malfunctioning immune system. First, the immune system mistakes a normal tissue or substance in your body for a dangerous pathogen, like a virus, bacterium, or fungus. It then creates special antibodies to destroy that tissue or substance. In celiac disease, the antibodies’ target is the gluten you consume. More than 100 autoimmune diseases exist. An Overview of Autoimmune Diseases Biopsy A biopsy involves the removal of cells or small amounts of tissue so they can be examined. This is a common diagnostic procedure for many illnesses, including celiac disease, but it’s probably best known in relation to diagnosing and determining the spread of cancer. When performed to diagnose celiac, biopsy is typically performed during an upper endoscopy. What to Expect From an Endoscopy for Celiac Disease Dermatitis Herpetiformis Also called gluten rash,” dermatitis herpetiformis is an extremely itchy and painful rash caused by your body’s abnormal reaction to gluten in your diet. Its fluid-filled red bumps and blisters can show up anywhere but are most common on the: Back of the neck Elbows Lower back Buttocks Knees Cutting gluten out of your diet is the only way to get rid of it. Learn About Dermatitis Herpetiformis and Celiac Disease Endoscopy In an endoscopy, a doctor uses a device called an endoscope to look inside your body. An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera and fiber-optic light at the tip. When they suspect celiac disease, doctors will perform an upper endoscopy (through the mouth) to look for villous atrophy, which is damage to the small intestine caused by celiac. What to Expect From an Endoscopy for Celiac Disease Gluten Gluten is a protein found in almost all grains. It’s what gives dough elasticity and structure. However, only one type of gluten, which is found in the Poaceae family of grasses, causes reactions in people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. It’s found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats (by cross contamination). Overview of Gluten and Why...