Gluten ataxia symptoms can include loss of balance and nerve damage in your legs and arms. Getty Images/Juanmonino

Updated December 11, 2014.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

Symptoms of gluten ataxia can range from progressive balance difficulties and unsteadiness on your feet to problems swallowing. You might have double vision, or even issues controlling your bladder. Your symptoms might come on slowly or might appear suddenly, but probably won't include gastrointestinal symptoms that could indicate celiac disease.

Researchers are only beginning to define gluten ataxia, and not all mainstream physicians agree that it's a valid diagnosis.

In addition, there are no recognized medical tests to diagnose gluten ataxia, although the top researchers in the field of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity have proposed a diagnostic procedure.

Nonetheless, various medical studies have outlined the symptoms of gluten ataxia, and have speculated on how many people might have gluten ataxia.

The symptoms of gluten ataxia are identical to those of other forms of ataxia, making it more challenging to provide a proper diagnosis. Gluten ataxia patients generally are in their late 40s or early 50s when diagnosed, although the medical literature notes several cases where the condition develops in young children or teens. Men and women are fairly equally represented.

In most cases, people notice problems with their gross motor skills first in other words, they'll be very clumsy, they'll walk unsteadily with a tendency to stumble or make missteps, and they'll generally be extremely uncoordinated.

Gluten ataxia sufferers may also notice problems with fine motor skills for example, someone with the condition might be unable to easily button a shirt or use a pen to write in longhand. Some patients also slur their words or have trouble speaking, and some have difficulty swallowing.

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Gluten Ataxia Symptoms: Poor Balance, Tingling in Feet