Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that prevents a person’s body from properly digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. This disease interferes with the small intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients, leading to malnourishment and vitamin deficiencies.
Experts estimate that 1% of people worldwide suffer from this disease.
While there is currently no cure for celiac disease, it can be managed by maintaining a gluten-free diet. If you suspect that you might have this disease, you should aim to get a diagnosis ASAP, so you can avoid making it worse.
We’ve designed this quiz to help you answer that question:
Do I have celiac disease? A quiz
While we can’t say for sure whether you have celiac disease from this quiz, we can help you determine whether you should ask a doctor about this condition. Scroll through this list of questions and add up the total number of “Yes” responses.
1. Do any of your immediate family members (parents, siblings, children) have celiac disease?
Yes | No | Not sure
2. Do you experience chronic fatigue (diagnosed or undiagnosed) on a regular basis?
Yes | No | Not sure
3. Do you suffer from malnutrition or vitamin deficiency?
Yes | No | Not sure
4. Are you deficient in immunoglobulin A (IgA)?
Yes | No | Not sure
5. Are you anemic or iron deficient?
Yes | No | Not sure
6. Do you struggle with anxiety, depression or brain fog?
Yes | No | Not sure
7. Do you suffer from migraine headaches on a regular basis?
Yes | No | Not sure
8. Have you experienced seizures?
Yes | No | Not sure
9. Do you have constipation, acid reflux, irritable bowels or bloating?
Yes | No | Not sure
10. Do you have arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis or another painful muscular disease?
Yes | No | Not sure
11. Have you been diagnosed with infertility?
Yes | No | Not sure
12. Do you regularly experience eczema or itchy skin?
Yes | No | Not sure
13. Do you have discolored teeth or enamel loss?
Yes | No | Not sure
14. Do you suffer from alopecia?
Yes | No | Not sure
15. Have you noticed any abnormal weight loss or gain?
Yes | No | Not sure
If you answered yes to more than five of these questions, you may want to get checked for celiac disease. You should get checked if you answered yes to question #1 and are experiencing any of the above symptoms. As celiac disease is mostly passed genetically, the presence of it in your family suggests that you’re at a higher risk.
What should I do if I think I have celiac disease?
If you’ve taken our Do I have celiac disease? quiz and think you may have celiac disease, you should contact your primary care physician or a gastroenterologist. They’ll test your blood for antibodies that suggest the presence of a gluten allergy.
If your blood tests positive for the antibodies, a GI specialist will confirm the diagnosis through an intestinal biopsy. They can then help you develop a personalized plan to help treat your celiac disease.
Contact our team today for more information about celiac disease or to schedule an initial appointment with one of our GI specialists.