Diagnozing Gluten Allergy

Before diagnosing gluten allergy it is important to know what gluten allergy is. Gluten allergy is a digestive disorder scar that is formed on the small intestine. These scars prevent the adsorption of nutrients from diets and results in gastrointestinal pain. This gastrointestinal pain is a common symptom of gluten allergy. The gluten allergy is caused due to a higher intake of dietary protein called gluten which is present in oats, wheat, malt, rye, and barley. In case if the gluten allergy is left untreated, then it can result in bone diseases, cancer, and anemia. But, one need not have to worry about gluten allergy as it can be easily minimized by opting for gluten-free diets. Once when an individual or gluten allergic person starts eating diets free from gluten protein the damage caused to the bowel will decrease and scars would disappear completely.

The most common gluten allergy symptoms in adults are indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, and heartburn. Some of the individuals might experience weight loss, flatulence, acid reflux, itchy dermatitis, excessive fatigue, constipation, rectal bleeding, and diarrhea. But the gluten allergy symptoms in young children cause extended abdomen, poor growth, weight loss, and vomiting. Once when a person or family has any of the above-mentioned symptoms then it would be better to consult a doctor at the earliest.

On the other hand, it may be difficult to diagnose the gluten allergy, and most of the time the symptoms like indigestion, bowel syndrome, and diarrhea are misdiagnosed for other health complications. The best method to diagnose gluten allergy is by undergoing upper endoscopy. This negligible invasive medical procedure would precisely visualize the upper portion of the gastrointestinal region via a plastic tube that houses fiber optic cable. The inbuilt circuits would transmit the images back to the operator, for analysis. Through this method shortest & first part of the small intestine, the doctor can view the damage made by gluten protein. This test is done twice once when the patient is on his normal diet and once after having a gluten-free diet.

Unfortunately, everybody can’t opt for endoscopy as it’s expensive and invasive for some people. Those who can’t afford endoscopy can go for gluten allergy medical tests. These medical tests are performed on an individual’s blood sample but the results are not reliable as in the case of endoscopy. Even the blood sample test is also done twice before and after taking a diet free from gluten protein. Given the situation, most individuals suspected to have gluten allergy would simply the wheat and other related from their regular diet regimen. Suppose if the symptom of gluten allergy subsides then they would continue their gluten-free diet instead of returning to disturbing or uncomfortable symptoms.

In addition, there is another kind of diagnosis performed on the skin, by doctors to check whether a patient is suffering from a gluten allergy or not. The skin test would be performed on the back or arm, here the doctor will prick the skin of a patient with a needle containing gluten compound. In case if a patient is allergic to this compound then he will experience skin reactions. So this is one of the most reliable tests to diagnose gluten allergy.