A gluten allergy is a common medical condition related to the gastrointestinal tract. The disease leads to your immune system attacking your tissues when gluten is consumed. This is a common health condition that can develop in young children, but a clear diagnosis may not be made until later on in life.
This post will address the frequently asked questions about a gluten allergy.
What is Gluten?
Proteins are essential for the normal functioning of a live cell or body. Gluten is one of those proteins found in food items like wheat, barley, and rye. The food industry uses this protein to give texture and fluff to their products.
Hence processed items like flavored milk, cream, bread, and canned items have gluten. However, gluten plays the part of moisturizer and elastic agent in plants.
What are the symptoms of gluten allergy?
If you feel like you should acquire a gluten allergy test, you must know the signs and symptoms of the disease. The primary issue is that this disease has three stages. First, the patient may have the condition, but there are no signs and symptoms, known as an asymptomatic case.
While there are two other cases known as mild or severe stages, there are some common symptoms in all three phases that indicate you may have the disease.
Some of the symptoms are as follows:
- Weight loss
- Bloating
- Intestinal gas
- Abdominal Pain
- Arthritis
- Constipation
- Stress
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Muscle Pain
When do you need to visit your doctor?
If you feel that you have any signs and symptoms of the disease, you should consult with your health provider and arrange for an appointment. The appropriate way to initiate the treatment is by getting the diagnostic result of a gluten allergy test.
It is not good to self-diagnose and start treatment without any consultation. There is a risk of misusing any medicine, which can complicate the disease.
How Can A Gluten Allergy Be Diagnosed?
You may have to go for antibody testing or a blood sample. In case of intestinal inflammation, you may have to go through a biopsy. Sometimes, to find out the root cause of an allergy, some labs have to perform a genetic analysis on whether your cells may have the genes for a gluten allergy or not.
Is there any treatment available for gluten allergy?
There is no medical treatment or cure for this disease. The only way to stop your symptoms from occurring is to change to a gluten-free diet. You can contact a nutritionist to help you make the switch.
After shifting your diet, you should not be experiencing any of the gluten intolerance symptoms. However, it is important to continue with a gluten-free diet as over time, your body can become hypersensitive to gluten and cause severe reactions.
Conclusion
Gluten allergies are incredibly common, and can often be mistaken for other illnesses and conditions. Fortunately, you can acquire a gluten allergy test to diagnose this, and then start a dietary change to avoid recurrence. Always consult your doctor if you feel you are at risk or are experiencing any health issues.