Coeliac disease is a lifelong disorder and there is no cure. Once diagnosed, people with coeliac disease must maintain a strict gluten-free diet for life to manage the symptoms and prevent complications.
Your symptoms will go away and the villi in the intestines will heal if you follow a lifelong gluten-free diet. When following a gluten-free diet, the inflammation in the small intestine will start to subside, and the gut will start to heal. Once gut healing is achieved, symptoms will improve, nutrient deficiencies will be corrected, and the risk of complications will decrease.
This healing most often occurs within 3 to 6 months in children. Recovery may take 2 to 3 years in adults. Rarely, long-term damage will be done to the lining of the intestines before the diagnosis is made. Some problems caused by celiac disease may not improve, such as a short height and damage to the teeth.
It’s worth noting that, even though a gluten-free diet can be effective in managing the symptoms of coeliac disease, it’s not always enough to fully heal the damage that has been done to the small intestine.