EDUCATION

Celiac disease symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people may not have symptoms at all. Celiac disease may be apparent early in life or may not appear until adulthood.

General symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal cramps, bloating, and gas
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Foul-smelling, light-colored, oily stool
  • Constipation
  • Weight loss
  • Changes in appetite
  • Fatigue or irritability
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dental problems that affect the teeth such as enamel damage or discoloration
  • Muscle cramps and joint pain
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Male or female infertilty

Skin problems:

  • Cracked sores in the corners of the mouth—angular cheilitis
  • Blistering skin rash—dermatitis herpetiformis
  • Shallow sores in the mouth—aphthous ulcers

Problems of the nervous system:

In infants and children, the inability to absorb nutrients may cause:

REFERENCES:

Celiac disease. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114570/Celiac-disease. Updated January 10, 2018. Accessed February 12, 2018.

Celiac disease. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/malabsorption-syndromes/celiac-disease. Updated May 2016. Accessed February 12, 2018.

Celiac disease symptoms. Celiac Disease Foundation website. Available at: https://celiac.org/celiac-disease/understanding-celiac-disease-2/what-is-celiac-disease. Accessed February 12, 2018.

Symptoms & causes of celiac disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes. Updated June 2016. Accessed February 12, 2018.

Last reviewed December 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daus Mahnke, MD  Last Updated: 2/12/2018