Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCeliac Disease and NeuropathySymptomsCauseTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Celiac Disease and Neuropathy
Symptoms
Cause
Treatment
Gluten neuropathy refers to damage that can occur to peripheral nerves in people with gluten sensitivity. Peripheral nerves are the nerves that travel from the spine and the brain to the other areas of the body such as the hands or the feet. Gluten neuropathy may result in symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or even sensations of burning and pain.
People with peripheral neuropathy suffer from those types of sensations on a regular basis. And while the cause of peripheral neuropathy is not clearly understood, it is linked with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.
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The Link Between Gluten Sensitivity and Peripheral Neuropathy
Even though diabetes is the number one cause ofperipheral neuropathy, autoimmune conditions also have been linked with it.Celiac disease is considered an autoimmune condition.
Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common non-digestivesymptoms of celiac disease.In fact, it’s possible to have no noticeable gastrointestinal symptoms of celiac disease but instead to have mainly peripheral neuropathy and other neurological symptoms.
About 10% of people newly diagnosed withceliac diseasesuffer from anassociated neurological condition, usually peripheral neuropathy (which is quite common) orgluten ataxia(which is rarer).
Non-celiacgluten sensitivityis also a recognized condition. Researchers suggest that tingling and numbness in the extremities represent one of the most commongluten sensitivity symptoms.
Neurological symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy, migraine, andbrain fogare even more common in non-celiac gluten sensitivity: Research shows that up to 57% of people who have some form of neurological symptoms test positive foranti-gliadinantibodies, meaning that they’re likely sensitive to gluten but don’t have celiac.
Gluten Neuropathy Symptoms
Gluten neuropathy—or peripheral neuropathy in people with gluten sensitivity—presents with a range of symptoms. The symptoms of gluten neuropathy include:
Gluten neuropathy may also cause twitching. One case study linked twitching to gluten neuropathy, but the researchers noted that more data was needed.
The tingling, numbness, and pain of peripheral neuropathy generally stem from nerve damage in your hands and feet. The nerve damage—and the symptoms—generally start in your longest nerves, which is why you’ll probably notice symptoms first in your feet and possibly your hands. But gluten neuropathy can also cause numbness or reduced sensation in the face or body.
The weird sensations usually start at the farthest point and work inward, up your legs and your arms. Sometimes your feet or hands can feel cold, hot, or like someone’s jabbing them with a sharp instrument. You can have just one nerve affected or multiple nerves.
Potential Cause
In some cases, peripheral neuropathy seems to be related to gluten consumption—specifically, to the anti-gluten antibodies and inflammation some people produce in response to gluten consumption.
In one study, researchers screened 215 patients with axonal neuropathy, a form of peripheral neuropathy involving damage to your axons, or bunches of nerves. A total of 140 of these had “idiopathic neuropathy,” meaning there was no apparent medical reason for their peripheral neuropathy.
The researchers tested those 140 people for antibodies toglutenusing twoceliac disease blood tests, the AGA-IgA test, and the AGA-IgG test. Although these tests are not thought to be very specific to celiac disease, they can detect if your body views gluten as an invader and is generating antibodies against the protein. AGA IgG and AGA-IgA antibodies are linked to inflammation.
Thirty-four percent of those tested (47 people) had high antibodies to gluten in one or both of those tests, compared with a 12% rate of high antibodies to gluten in the overall population.Those test results could indicate that the people had gluten sensitivity since some experts are recommending the AGA-IgA and the AGA-IgG asgluten sensitivity tests.
The researchers also performed endoscopies and biopsies on those people in the study suspected to have celiac disease and found that 9% of those in the “unexplained neuropathy” group actually had celiac. Theceliac disease genesHLA-DQ2andHLA-DQ8were found in 80% of all peripheral neuropathy patients.
Gluten neuropathy is not a condition that is likely to go away on its own. So treatment to manage your symptoms is important.
Since some studies have found that neurologic manifestations, including peripheral neuropathy, may be related to different inflammatory processes, reducing inflammation can be part of your treatment plan.
Gluten-Free Diet
With a gluten-free diet, you’ll need to avoid grains containing gluten, such as wheat, barley, and rye. Focus on eating foods that are naturally gluten-free, including meat, beans, nuts, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.
Gluten is also in many processed food products. It’s important to look at ingredients on product labels. Many companies use labels that specify whether a product is “gluten-free” to help make them easier to identify.
Your healthcare provider can help give you guidance on how to eliminate gluten from your diet.
Medication Changes
These drugs can include:
This list does not include every medication that can cause neuropathy. Thus, if you are on any medication and develop the condition, speak to your provider to get personalized advice.
Lifestyle Changes
Practitioners recommend that people with celiac sensitivity and peripheral neuropathy make lifestyle changes to reduce pain, including avoiding long periods of standing or walking, wearing loose shoes (in some cases, insurance might cover special therapeutic shoes), and soaking feet in ice water to ease pain and tingling.
Additionally, people with peripheral neuropathy, whether or not it appears to be related to celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, should make sure to be extra careful when they walk or move around since the lack of sensation in their feet could lead to a risk of falls.
Summary
Gluten neuropathy refers to a type of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy that occurs in people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The condition results in symptoms including numbness, pain, burning sensations, or tingling.
Peripheral neuropathy probably won’t go away on its own. However, studies show that following a gluten-free diet may improve or resolve symptoms. You may also be able to work with your healthcare providers to make medication changes that can help relieve symptoms.
13 Sources
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