Celiac disease is caused by sensitivity to gluten, a substance found in foods made from grains. When gluten is ingested by someone with celiac disease, it triggers an autoimmune response that damages the villi, finger-like projections along the wall of the small intestines. Celiac disease is likely to be an inherited condition, though it commonly is not evident until adulthood. The condition may be set off by an infection, surgery, or pregnancy. Celiac disease can occur alone or in association with other diseases, such as diabetes, sarcoidosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or vasculitis.
The small intestines are not the only part of the body that can be affected negatively by celiac disease. Celiac disease can cause neuropathy or nerve damage. Some people develop nerve damage due to celiac disease before the disease causes symptoms related to intestinal damage. The neuropathy from celiac disease is called peripheral neuropathy since it commonly affects the peripheral nerves of the feet and hands.
Often, the nerve damage from celiac disease causes foot pain, burning, numbness, or has similar effect the hands or other parts of the body. Celiac disease neuropathy can cause a sensation that a person is wearing socks or gloves when their hands and feet are bare. This condition can cause muscle weakness or a loss of sensitivity to touch. Patients with neuropathy can experience dull pain or sharp, jabbing pain in the affected limbs.
There is no cure for celiac disease and foot pain caused by celiac disease. To treat celiac disease and foot pain, the doctor is likely to make suggestions to help prevent further damage and reduce pain and discomfort. To prevent further damage to the intestines, the patient should avoid eating food that contains gluten.
Avoiding food with gluten can help alleviate the pain and other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy from celiac disease. For celiac disease foot pain, the doctor may recommend that the patient avoids standing or walking for long periods of time. The doctor may suggest that the patient wear loose-fitting shoes and take over-the-counter pain relievers for the pain. Some doctors recommend that the patient soak their feet in ice water.
People who have neuropathy of the feet need to be especially careful when choosing footwear since they may not be able to feel if the shoes are too small. The friction and pressure from ill-fitting footwear can cause several problems including sores, hammertoe, and bunions. If a person with neuropathy gets a sore or cut, they may not notice the injury until it has already become infected. Therefore, vigilant foot care is part of managing celiac disease neuropathy.
