Celiac Disease Specialist

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a disease of the immune system. It causes your body to become intolerant to gluten, a protein naturally found in rye, wheat, and barley and used in everyday products like lotions, shampoos, and toothpaste.

If you eat foods or use products that contain gluten, you can suffer damage to the small intestine. This damage results because your immune system mistakenly attacks the small intestine, causing damage that makes it difficult for you to absorb important nutrients. Without proper nutrients, your body can’t function properly.

The root cause of celiac disease isn’t well understood, but your risk of developing the condition increases if you have a family history of gluten intolerance or another autoimmune disorder like Addison’s disease or diabetes.

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

Consuming gluten with celiac disease causes a variety of symptoms that affect each person differently. For instance, one person might experience only chronic diarrhea, while another might suffer from diarrhea, mood changes, and joint pain. 

In some cases, you can have celiac disease and have no symptoms at all. Other common side effects that related to celiac disease include:

• Obesity
• Irritability
• Hair loss
• Loss of tooth enamel
• Irregular menstrual periods

The lack of nutrients can also lead to osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become brittle and prone to fractures.

How is celiac disease treated?

Diagnosing celiac disease can initially be difficult because its symptoms are similar to other digestive disorders. Dr. Tawil can use blood tests to confirm or rule out celiac disease. 

Once he understands your diagnosis, Dr. Tawil creates a custom treatment plan to relieve your symptoms and help you follow a gluten-free diet.

Living a gluten-free lifestyle means removing all gluten products from your diet and routine. This process is effective in relieving your symptoms and can even reverse the damage done to your small intestine.

Dr. Tawil offers comprehensive resources to make the transition to a gluten-free lifestyle, including diet tips, how to read ingredients labels, and coping methods for living with celiac disease.

If you have a family history of celiac disease or are struggling with chronic digestive issues, schedule a celiac disease consultation at Brighton Beach Medical Group today by calling the office.