Celiac Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Medically reviewed by Achuta Uppu, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor treats Celiac Disease?
A gastroenterologist, a doctor who treats digestive problems, usually diagnoses and treats celiac disease. A dietitian often helps too. Your primary care doctor can start the evaluation. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a disease that damages the small intestine, the tube where your body takes in most nutrients. It is set off by gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten is also added to many other foods.
In celiac disease, eating gluten makes the immune system, the body's defense against germs, overreact. This damages the small intestine. The damage can keep the body from taking in the nutrients it needs.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary widely, and some people have none at all. Digestive symptoms are more common in children. They include:
- Bloating, gas, and belly pain.
- Chronic diarrhea or constipation.
- Loose, greasy, bad-smelling stools.
- Upset stomach or vomiting.
Children who cannot absorb nutrients may weigh less or gain less weight than expected. They may also grow slowly or hit puberty late.
Symptoms in other parts of the body include tiredness, joint or bone pain, headaches, seizures, canker sores, infertility, and repeated miscarriages. Some people get dermatitis herpetiformis, an itchy, blistering rash on the elbows, knees, or buttocks.
Causes and who gets it
Celiac disease almost always occurs in people who have one of two gene variants, called DQ2 and DQ8, and who eat gluten. About 30 percent of people have one of these variants. Only about 3 percent of them get the disease.
How doctors diagnose it
Doctors use your health history, a physical exam, and test results.
Most people are diagnosed with blood tests and a biopsy. Blood tests look for antibodies, proteins the immune system makes. These are often higher than normal in untreated celiac disease. Doctors diagnose celiac disease with biopsies of the small intestine.
Symptoms alone do not diagnose celiac disease, because other digestive problems can cause the same symptoms. Doctors do not recommend starting a gluten-free diet before testing is finished, because the diet can change test results.
Treatment
Doctors treat celiac disease with a gluten-free diet for life. No medicine cures it. For most people, the diet heals the intestine and prevents more damage. Many see symptoms improve within days to weeks.
A dietitian can teach you to check food labels, plan meals, and find gluten-free substitutes. You also need to avoid hidden gluten in things like lip balms and toothpaste.
Your doctor may test you for low vitamin and mineral levels and recommend supplements if needed. Follow-up blood tests check that antibody levels are returning to normal. In about 20 percent of people, symptoms continue even on the diet. Doctors then look for hidden gluten or other health problems.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if you have long-lasting diarrhea, belly pain, or weight loss. This includes a child who is not growing as expected. Call 911 or go to the emergency room for severe belly pain or pressure, or severe or non-stop vomiting or diarrhea. If symptoms keep coming back on a gluten-free diet, see your doctor again. Untreated disease can lead to malnutrition. In rare cases it leads to a cancer called enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma.
How a direct primary care or concierge doctor fits in
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. This kind of doctor can start the evaluation, arrange testing, and coordinate care with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian.
Common questions
Is celiac disease the same as a wheat allergy?
No. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder that damages the small intestine. The disease is triggered by eating foods containing gluten. Symptoms greatly improve for most people with celiac disease who stick to a gluten-free diet.
Can celiac disease be cured?
No medicine cures it. But a gluten-free diet for life treats it: for most people the intestine heals and symptoms greatly improve.
What happens if I eat a small amount of gluten by mistake?
Symptoms may come back if you eat small amounts of gluten. Most people heal when they stay gluten-free. If symptoms continue, ask your doctor or dietitian to help find the hidden source.
Should my family be tested?
If someone in your family has celiac disease, ask your doctor about your own chances of getting it and whether to be tested, even if you feel fine.
Sources
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Celiac Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Symptoms and Causes of Celiac Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Treatment for Celiac Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Diagnosis of Celiac Disease
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
