Most of us have experienced bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and headaches from time to time, but if these symptoms are appearing more regularly then you could be one of millions potentially affected by gluten sensitivity and may benefit from a gluten-free diet.
Most of us have experienced bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and headaches from time to time, but if these symptoms are appearing more regularly then you could be one of millions potentially affected by gluten sensitivity and may benefit from a gluten-free diet.
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. Most of us can digest this with no trouble but those suffering with gluten sensitivity will develop the symptoms.
“Gluten sensitivity exists alongside the other gluten-related conditions and shares many of the symptoms of coeliac disease making it trickier to diagnose.”
This condition may affect up to six per cent of the population and can be easily confused with other gluten related disorders. As a result, gluten sensitivity can be hard to detect and diagnose and so it is vital to go to your GP for a thorough medical assessment.
Therefore, it is critical to rule out any other possibilities. The following key facts will help you understand gluten sensitivity and how this emerging condition can be recognised.
Key ways to identify if you have gluten sensitivity Gluten sensitivity exists alongside the other gluten-related conditions and shares many of the symptoms of coeliac disease making it trickier to diagnose. Despite this, there are some definable ways of establishing this condition with guidance from a medical professional:
The following symptoms affecting different parts of your body are signs that you could be suffering from gluten sensitivity: > bloating > abdominal pain > diarrhoea and/or constipation > nausea and vomiting > swelling of tongue and colour changes > pain or burning sensation of upper stomach > headaches and mental confusion > numbness and/or pain in limbs
If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to exclude the possibility that you are suffering from coeliac disease, a wheat allergy or any other conditions which cause similar symptoms. To exclude these conditions, you should seek advice from a medical professional and not make any changes to your diet until advised to.
Finally, if the other possible causes of your symptoms have been excluded, you might decide to trial a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms improve. This is a reliable way of establishing if you may be suffering from gluten sensitivity.
Despite little being known about this condition, researchers believe gluten sensitivity is more common than both coeliac disease and wheat allergy combined. It is estimated that gluten sensitivity may occur in up to six per cent of the population, compared to coeliac disease which affects around one per cent.
Why are people sensitive to gluten? No one really knows why there is an increase in the number of people who seem to be sensitive to gluten. One school of thought is that in evolutionary terms, gluten is a relatively new food stuff for the digestive system, and we have noticed a trend of increased diagnosis of coeliac disease over the past decades.
If I do have gluten sensitivity, how is it managed? Gluten sensitivity can be managed by excluding gluten from your diet. It is unknown whether this exclusion should be temporary or lifelong (as in the case for coeliac disease), but what we do know, is that cutting out gluten is a step in addressing the symptoms of gluten sensitivity.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is extremely important that you visit your doctor to rule out coeliac disease and wheat allergy before commencing a gluten free diet. It is vital that you remain on a gluten containing diet until you have visited a medical professional
For further information about gluten sensitivity, visit www.glutensensitive.co.uk
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