Celiac sprue

Celiac sprue disease

The wall of the small intestine is made up of several layers. The innermost layer, the mucosa, contains many tiny projections called villi. The villi are filled with blood and lymph systems that normally absorb essential nutrients.

But gluten in the diet of a person with celiac sprue somehow damages the mucosa and the villi, almost always in the duodenum and jejunum. This can result in poor absorption of important nutrients, leading to a number of illnesses.

Loss of iron, folate and/or vitamin B12 leads to anemia. Lack of calcium may lead to osteopenia (bone brittling) or tetany (body-wide muscle cramps). Other problems include diarrhea, weight loss and fat in the stool.

In severe cases, nutritional depletion can cause swelling, skin infections, mouth ulcers, absence of menstrual periods, impotence, infertility, nerve pain, bone and joint pain and night blindness.

LABELS:
Stomach
Large intestine
Small intestine:
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
Rectum
Mucosal layer
Villi

Text and illustrations by Kevin T. Boyd

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Acupressure for headaches
Here are lists of acupressure points for Lower Abdomen, Upper Abdomen, Allergies, Anus, Colitis, Constipation, Cramps/muscular spasms, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Flatulence, Gastrointestinal, Indigestion, Nausea, Neuralgia, Rectum, Small intestine, Spasm, Intestinal ulcer, and Vomiting on PointFinder.org.
If this is your first time, please read the instructions. Don’t use acupressure to replace standard emergency procedures or licensed medical treatment. If you are seriously injured or have acute symptoms seek urgent medical treatment.

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