When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune systems mount an attack on the small intestine that can damage the villi, small projections that line the small intestine that help with the absorption of nutrients. When this damage occurs, the body cannot absorb nutrients effectively.
Celiac disease tends to run in families and can develop at almost any age. Without treatment, this disorder can lead to serious long-term health problems. More recently, researchers have started understanding the potential connection between gluten and joint pain. When someone with celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten consumes gluten, the immune system springs to life, using inflammation as one of its weapons.
It affects the soft tissues and organs, causing symptoms such as joint pain even when no visible external signs of inflammation are present such as swelling and redness. This joint pain may come and go, or it may be chronic and consistent. This diagnosis has contributed hugely to the growing market for gluten-free foods. NCGS has given way to a ton of discussion and confusion among sufferers. What we do know is that, in people with celiac disease, eating gluten triggers inflammation in the small intestine.
NCGS is a separate condition from celiac disease and one that affects more people. We do not yet know whether people with NCGS are more likely to develop celiac disease in the future.
In general, however, the two conditions have some very similar symptoms, including:. The main difference between these conditions and celiac disease is that gluten sensitivity and intolerance do not damage the small intestine the way celiac disease does.
However, the body does see gluten as a foreign invader and launches an unwarranted immune response, including inflammation. As mentioned, inflammation is a normal and healthy function of the immune system. Under normal circumstances, inflammation facilitates the release of healing proteins, antibodies, and increased blood flow.
Typically, the entire process takes anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Chronic inflammation , on the other hand, occurs when this immune response lingers, producing a long-lasting state of alert in the body.
Chronic inflammation may even play a role in a range of health conditions, from asthma to cancer. These symptoms may range from barely noticeable to debilitating and may last for years. As you can see, joint pain, gluten sensitivity, inflammation, and other issues are all interconnected in the body. Other doctors advocate for a similar diet. Nilanjana Bose, MD , a member of the American College of Rheumatology, who practices at the Rheumatology Center of Houston, recommends a Mediterranean diet that restricts refined carbs and sugars, as well as red meat.
The benefits pay off across the board. Like Dr. Yu, she says that much of the success with an anti-inflammatory diet comes from improving the health of the microbiome, the network of trillions of bacteria in your gut. Bose explains. Bose adds. Yu suggests exploring a gluten-free diet on the chance that you also have an underlying gluten sensitivity as well.
Know that if you cut out gluten without notifying your health care team first, you are going on a fairly restrictive diet. In the absence of a condition that warrants a gluten-free diet, you may be doing this unnecessarily.
If you have celiac disease symptoms, ask your doctor if you should be checked for celiac. You should do this before you cut out gluten. In order for blood tests to accurately test for celiac, you need to be currently eating gluten-containing foods.
Keep in mind that any diet changes you make should be part of an overall treatment plan you develop with your rheumatologist. Prescription medications are often at the core of treatment due to the strong evidence supporting their success. CreakyJoints is a digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research. We present patients through our popular social media channels, our website CreakyJoints.
We represent patients through our popular social media channels, our website CreakyJoints. Only fill in if you are not human. What Is Gluten? Celiac Disease vs. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Celiac is an autoimmune disease. The short answer is possibly, but no one knows for sure why this could be the case.
Gluten vs. The Best Diet for Arthritis The doctors we spoke with emphasize eating an anti-inflammatory diet with their patients. About one percent of the population may have celiac disease, but unfortunately, many of them may not realize it.
Many of these undiagnosed face higher risks of long-term health issues related to gastrointestinal damage. Those with celiac disease produce an immune response when gluten is detected.
This immune response attacks the small, finger-like projections on the walls of the small intestine called villi. Over time, this assault on the villi degrades their ability to absorb nutrients. People with celiac disease have a percent higher risk of developing coronary artery disease and percent higher risk of developing small bowel cancers.
Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is to strictly avoid gluten. Even crumbs from gluten foods may be enough to trigger an episode that can damage the small intestine. New studies suggest that there may be a link between gluten and joint pain. It has long been known that auto-immune forms of arthritis like rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis raise the risk of developing celiac disease.
There is mounting evidence that people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity produce inflammation that can cause joint pain. Although there are diagnostic tests for celiac disease, there are not comparable tools for gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity may not be a formal condition but a broad range of responses where someone cannot tolerate gluten.
The best way to determine if you have a gluten sensitivity is to adopt a gluten-free diet for several weeks. If certain symptoms like gastrointestinal distress or joint pain clear up during this period, you may have some strong evidence that you cannot tolerate gluten. You should, however, ask your doctor to make a final determination. If your physician confirms that you have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, then you need to permanently cut gluten out from your diet.
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