Gluten is a protein type found in wheat, rye and barley-containing foods. This protein can adversely affect some people, causing a person's immune system to destroy areas of the stomach and intestinal lining known as villi. Because villi add surface area to the intestines that helps your body to absorb nutrients, a gluten intolerance -- also known as celiac disease -- can affect your body's ability to digest nutrients. This causes a number of symptoms, including joint pain.
Joint Pain and Symptoms
Gluten intolerance often is a difficult disease to diagnose because symptoms tend to vary from person to person. For example, adults and children may experience digestive symptoms associated with stomach irritability, constipation or gas. However, others may experience symptoms unassociated with the intestinal tract, including joint pain and other conditions related to your joints, including arthritis and osteoporosis. Symptoms may vary from person to person because the intestines may respond in different ways to damage and lack of nutrients. However, the longer a person has celiac disease, the more likely a person is to experience severe symptoms like joint pain and dysfunction.
Causes
Gluten intolerance affects your body's ability to absorb nutrients, including fats, proteins and vitamins that contribute to building healthy bones. Two examples are Vitamin D and calcium, which are necessary to build bone tissue. If you cannot build sufficient bones, you may experience bone and joint pain. Over time, thinning bones can increase your risk for bone breakage. If gluten intolerance affects the body's ability to absorb proteins, your body also may not be able to produce muscle fibers to support and stabilize your joints, resulting in pain.
Diagnosis
Those who experience joint pain may be commonly misdiagnosed as having arthritis or another inflammatory condition that leads to pain. If you suspect you may have celiac disease, blood tests, a biopsy of your intestines or endoscopy to view the inner intestinal linings to determine if villi are damaged.
Solution
If you do experience joint pain as the result of celiac disease, your physician will likely recommend following a gluten-free diet. This involves the elimination of wheat products known to contain gluten. Because gluten is added to other processed foods -- everything from ketchup to lunchmeat -- you must learn what foods contain hidden gluten sources. With time, a gluten-free diet can help the small intestine to heal. This will increase the intestine's absorptive abilities, which may be helpful in reducing your joint pain. However, if joint pain has resulted in joint degeneration, this symptom may be difficult to reverse. Also, some people who are gluten intolerant do not respond well to a gluten-free diet.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Celiac Disease Symptoms
- "USA Today"; Gluten-Free Diets Gaining in Popularity; Kim Painter; Aug. 18, 2008
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Celiac Disease; September 2008
- "Chicago Sun-Times"; Celiac Disorder Focuses the Spotlight on Gluten-Free Diet; Allison Griffin; March 9, 2011
