Gluten Intolerance

Gluten intolerance

Intolerance to gluten takes many forms – from coeliac disease, which is a severe reaction to gluten containing foods, to wheat allergies or sensitivity to gluten in the diet. As a result, many people confine themselves to a gluten-free diet.

Gluten is a protein found in foods made from wheat and other grains, such as rye and barley. The most common source of gluten in your diet is from products like bread and pasta. Often people with the most severe reaction to gluten are also advised to avoid oats due to cross-contamination.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance are different for many people. In those suffering from coeliac disease, their intestine is damaged by the presence of even small amounts of gluten and they suffer from poor absorption of many nutrients as a result. An absolute diagnosis of coeliac disease is generally made after a biopsy, or removal of a small piece of their intestine to check for damage.

Other people who are sensitive to gluten in their diet complain of symptoms, such as a bloated stomach, abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, excessive wind or a combination of these. These people will usually have a negative test result for coeliac disease and their condition is regarded as less severe than coeliac disease. There is documented evidence that restricting gluten in their diet will alleviate most, if not all, symptoms.

Wheat allergy is an allergy to many components of wheat, not just gluten. People that suffer from an allergic response to wheat must avoid all forms of wheat and will need ongoing medical care in order to manage this allergy.

All people that suffer from adverse effects after eating wheat or gluten containing products should attempt to avoid this in their diet. It takes vigilance and care to manage the symptoms, especially when you have little control over your food, such as when eating out, or ordering take-away food. It is also helpful to read packaging carefully when buying any food that you may eat or drink when gluten or wheat intolerant. In New Zealand, food packaging is required to state if any potential allergens are present.

There are a variety of gluten free products. Supermarkets generally stock a reasonable range of these and others are available on prescription, from mail order or retail stockists of low allergy foods.

Medications to treat the symptoms of gluten intolerance are available from your community pharmacy. Your pharmacist can also advise you about managing the intake of foods that cause these symptoms and refer you to get specialist advice and treatment from a dietician or your doctor if appropriate.

Managing the symptoms of gluten intolerance is made easier with the help of your community pharmacist.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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