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Author: Ivana Smith

anorexia nervosa complications

Anorexia Nervosa Complications

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by abnormally low body weight, a fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. People with anorexia may eat very little, exercise excessively, and use other means such as purging or using laxatives in an effort to lose weight. Anorexia causes many complications related to starvation and, if untreated, may be fatal. Visit this site to read more information about anorexia. 

Heart problems 

People with anorexia become so thin that their muscles waste away. As the muscles of the body thin and weaken, the muscle of the heart also becomes weak, the chambers enlarge, and the heart becomes unable to pump properly. Because of the enlargement of the chambers, the valves may not close properly. The heart rate slows as the heart does not have the energy to pump faster. Heart failure or cardiac arrest is often the cause of death in anorexia patients.    

Osteoporosis and fractures 

Because people with anorexia become severely malnourished, they have low levels of essential nutrients in their body. One of these is calcium. As the body tries desperately to increase its available calcium, it starts to break down the bones in an effort to free up more of this important mineral. This decreases bone density and can lead to severe osteoporosis. Because of this, patients with anorexia are prone to broken bones, even with only minor injuries and mishaps.    

Infertility 

Both males and females use body fat in order to create sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. Women with anorexia may stop ovulating and menstruating due to deficiencies of the major sex hormones, and men may equally become infertile. Both men and women with anorexia may also experience sexual dysfunction.    

Kidney problems 

People with anorexia may suffer from kidney damage. The causes are multiple: a reduced protein intake, abnormalities in blood levels of electrolytes, increased risk of kidney stones and decreased blood pressure due to heart problems all contribute to kidney damage which may be lifelong.    

Anemia 

Anemia is a common complication in anorexia. People with anorexia often consume diets deficient in iron, leaving their bodies unable to make enough healthy red blood cells to circulate oxygen to the tissues. Anemia may stress an already damaged heart, cause skin rashes, and brittle nails, and may lead to breathlessness and fatigue in advanced cases, sometimes even requiring a blood transfusion.    

anorexia nervosa complications

Anorexia is an eating disorder that can lead to multiple severe complications affecting all the body systems. Some of these complications can cause lifelong illness or disability, even when the anorexia has been treated, and some may result in death. If you think that you, or a loved one, maybe suffering from anorexia nervosa, contact a doctor to get on the path to recovery and prevent any permanent damage.

anorexia in children

Anorexia in Children

Anorexia is an eating disorder which causes those affected by the condition to develop an all-consuming obsession with weight and body image. Behavioral patterns revolve predominantly around the overarching goal of weight loss and can result in the subordination of previous interests. With the obsession to lose weight, they only eat or try to avoid a certain type of foods and drinks such as consuming too many sugary drinks to achieve the weight they desire. Although in some cases anorexia in children can prove fatal, early intervention has been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms.     

Types of Anorexia    

There are two types of anorexia.     

  • Bulimia Type    

Patients binge on food before purging with laxatives or through self-induced vomiting.      

  • Restrictor Type 

Patients place excessive limits on the quantity of food that they consume.     

Causes    

Anorexia’s etiology remains unclear. However, it’s generally accepted that the condition typically starts out as normal dieting and slowly progresses into anorexia. Factors which are thought to influence the condition’s development include;     

  • Societal expectations
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Brain chemical imbalances
  • Developmental issues    

Family influences also play a key role. To the extent that a child with a family background of weight problems, physical illness, and mental health issues is at an increased risk of becoming anorexic. Moreover, in cases where families are intransigent and demanding, or interfering and overprotective, the probability of anorexia also rises.         

Who is most at risk?    

Anorexia was a condition which was primarily observed in girls. While girls still comprse the majority of those affected, the gender picture is continually changing. Nowadays an increasing minority of anorexia patients are boys. A similar trend is observable in terms of socioeconomic class. Where once anorexia was exclusively associated with the upper and middle classes, it now affects a broad cross-section of society at large.     

Symptoms    

Symptoms vary from child to child, but can include;    

anorexia in children
  • Excessively low body weight
  • Body dysmorphia
  • Overexercising
  • Highly ritualized eating behaviors
  • An unhealthy obsession with bodyweight
  • Depression    

The physical symptoms associated with anorexia closely resemble those of starvation and malnourishment. They can include;    

  • Overly dry skin
  • Extreme lethargy
  • Constipation
  • Discolored skin
  • Increased sensitivity to low temperatures 

Complications     

Anorexia can potentially lead to a multitude of further health complications. For example, the functioning of the heart and kidneys may be compromised, mild anemia or leukopenia may develop, menstrual periods may stop altogether, or growth hormone levels may drop.     

Treatment    

The precise nature of the treatment that a child will receive depends on a number of factors. Factors which are taken into consideration include;    

  • The range of symptoms the child exhibits
  • General health
  • Overall severity of the condition
  • Age    

Typically, however, the treatment of anorexia in children involves a multidisciplinary approach which involves individual therapy and family therapy overlapping with nutritional rehabilitation and with the targeted use of medications.

selective eating disorder

Selective Eating Disorder

Have you encountered someone who only eats a certain food? You may immediately jump to the conclusion that they are simply fussy eaters and dismiss them casually. However, this condition called Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (AFRID) may well be associated, in some cases, to Autism and Anxiety disorder. At the rhinoplastyperthcost page you can read more about anxiety disorder and its treatment options.

Many of us have heard of Anorexia or Bulimia, and possibly Binge Eating Disorder. However, there are many disorders that fall below the diagnostic threshold for Anorexia and Bulimia. These are known as Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Previously this was known as Selective eating disorder (SED). People with ARFID will only eat foods that they find acceptable. This may be based on perceived safety, taste, texture, color, or a memory of some previous bad experience connected with the food.

Although people with ARFID may exclude a whole range of food types, they usually maintain a typical bodyweight. If encouraged to eat foods in the group connected with their ARFID, they may become distressed.

What are the causes of ARFID?    

Often there is some sort of Trauma at the root of the condition. They may have choked on a particular food in the past or have seen something that made them see the food as dangerous.

Distressing events in childhood, such as parents divorcing or a house move may trigger a mechanism where selective eating is associated with taking back control.   

Treatment of ARFID  

Adults     

ARFID symptoms can, in some cases gradually reduce and disappear without intervention. However, most cases will be treated by Cognitive Behavior Therapy. There are also ARFID support groups.

Children

selective eating disorder

Children may undergo a program based on Systematic Desensitization. The four-stage program are 

  1. Record: Children keep a log of eating behaviors
  2. Reward: Children make a list of foods they might like to try someday. 
  3. Relax: Children learn to reduce anxiety and relax. 
  4. Review: It is important to review any progress that is made.
anorexia weight loss

What is anorexia weight loss?

Anorexia is an extreme loss of body weight due to an exhausting diet on the basis of a mental disorder. The term “anorexia nervosa” first appeared in the scientific literature in 1988, although the roots of this eating disorder go back to early Middle Ages. In those distant times, the culture of asceticism was living in the minds of the people.  

But the epidemic level was reached by anorexia just at the beginning of the XXI century when people keeping diets and obsessed with the idea of weight loss. Being afraid to become thick again, they cannot stop. This extreme loss of weight could affect your facial features and other parts of your body which can result to complete physical exhaustion.

How does the disease develop? 

Anorexia weight loss doesn’t happen suddenly. This disorder most often lasts for months or even years. Usually, it starts with an unlimited desire to lose some extra pounds, but the danger of the disease is that patients are always unhappy looking at the result.

How to recognize a disease? 

The anorexia has the following signs: 

anorexia weight loss
  • A slim girl is always dissatisfied with her look; she spends a lot of time in front of a mirror and constantly insists that she is fat; 
  • During strict diets, she dramatically loses weight, but does not stop there, continuing to torment herself with fasting; 
  • She is trying to feed a dog with her lunch, hides food, and then throws it away or imperceptibly transfers it to other people’s plates; 
  • The constant use of laxatives, the use of enemas; frequent vomiting should also alert; 
  • The amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), which occurs due to a sharp decrease in weight. 

Treatment 

Treatment of patients with anorexia weight loss begins with their urgent hospitalization. After visual inspection of the patient, Home Doctors Melbourne first of all try to return the patient’s normal weight. For this, therapeutic nutrition is prescribed. It helps to increase calorie food content. At the same time, it is extremely important for a person with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, to be surrounded by the love and care of native people, without which, the treatment won’t be effective.

bulimia nervosa warning signs

Bulimia Nervosa Warning Signs

First things first, what is bulimia nervosa? Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder which the behavior causes to use self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, exercising in excessive ways in order to prevent weight gain. People with this diorder has a negative body image of themselves, which involves a distorted perception for their shape. Most of the time they question how they look like. “Is the tummy flat?”, “Is breast size proportional to body weight?“. This high level of body dissatisfaction is just one of the many bulimia nervosa warning signs and long-term effects.

There are two types of bulimia nervosa warning signs and symptoms, emotional and behavioral. I believe that the first thing you notice will be a person starting to control their eating behavior in a very obsessive way. Bulimics don’t always lose weight, so weight loss might not be a sign at first. Feeling uncomfortable eating around others, eating small or even extreme large portions and then disappearing right after is a major sign. Taking laxatives, diuretics, wearing baggy clothes, excessive exercising, discolored teeth and maybe even bruises on the knuckles are some signs too. Some Bulimics tend to drift from friendships or family members, they try to isolate themselves and most of them become depressed. Some people with his disease will make schedules in order to binge and purge to make sure they do not gain weight when binging.

bulimia nervosa warning signs

More physical signs include yellow teeth as mentioned before, but more importantly, dizziness, trouble concentrating, sleeping problems. dry skin and brittle nails, muscle weakness, and menstrual irregularities.

There are many health consequences to this disease if not treated right away. Short term effects include, weight loss and depression. Long term effects include sore throat, tooth decay, gastrointestinal ulcers, irregular periods, kidney failure, heart failure, low pulse or blood pressure and pregnancy issues which can cause miscarriages or birth defects.

According to American Addiction Center Resources, about 0.9% of individuals in the U.S. suffer from this disorder, and it typically begins between the ages of 14-22. If you or someone you know is dealing with bulimia nervosa, get help immediately.

effects of binge eating

Effects of Binge Eating

Binge eating is a disorder where one consumes large amounts of food and makes one feel out of control to stop eating.This disorder brings about various effects on the body/health of an individual such as obesity which can lead to adverse effects such as cancer,high blood pressure, heart disease as well as arthritis. People suffering from binge eating disorder tend to consume large amounts of non nutritious foods thus contributing to one not meeting their nutritional needs. However, this can be controlled with certain ways like orthodontic treatment. Surprisingly, when you consider wearing Invisalign or orthodontic braces it encourages you to practice healthy eating habits. There are certain foods patients are recommended to stay away from while they are undergoing orthodontic treatment. As a result of these requirements, many patients report that they are less inclined to snack on unhealthy foods throughout the day.

Furthermore, on the dental perspective, the effects of binge eating, since they contribute non nutritional consumption of food can lead to bleeding gums as well as the soft tissues inside the mouth. Binge eating can also lead to enlarging of salivary glands which contributes to dry mouth as well as pain. Lack of consumption of enough Vitamin B3 contributes to bad breath which can contribute to emotional withdrawal.

effects of binge eating

Effects of binge eating can lead to adverse dental effects such as teeth changing colour and shape as well as becoming weak and brittle.This can be caused by constant vomiting which results to stomach acids flowing over the teeth which results to effects mentioned, making the edges of the teeth thin and weak, frequent rinsing and extensive brushing resulting from the vomiting can aggravate tooth decay.

Frequent chewing and spitting is another effect of binge eating on the teeth, Instead of chewing and swallowing food, people suffering from binge eating disorder tend to chew and spit food. Chewing foods high in sugar content leads to rotting of teeth, people who often chew and spit their food struggle with cavities and tooth decay as well as swollen glands which is extremely painful.

When you find yourself facing these dental problems and you have been constantly consuming large amounts of foods than usual, it is advisable to visit a dentist and solve the problem before the effects become adverse.

Dental Complications Of Eating Disorders

Having an eating disorder is no laughing matter. No matter how much we want to help these people, it is hard to detect who has these conditions. They tend to hide it to everybody, acting everything is well. But there are symptoms that we can observe to detect and help people with eating disorders.

Eating disorders can even result in dental complications if not prevented like having dental erosion. You can watch out for these dental complications to see if someone you know is hiding their eating disorder. This way, we can help them to get the dental treatment they need and lead them to a healthier lifestyle. The team of dental experts from Beyond Infinity Dental in Castle Hill can help you with these issues.

So what are the dental complications of eating disorders? Here are some examples below:

Gums Disorders

If your body cannot have the nutrients it needs, it can cause bleeding gums. The soft tissue on your gums will be extra sensitive making it more susceptible in bacteria and infections.

Dry Mouth

Dehydration can affect your oral health as well. Lack of Calcium can make your teeth to get weak. This may cause tooth decay if not prevented by proper oral care as well.

Tooth Loss

Since frequent vomiting can result in acid reflux, your tooth enamel can be damaged resulting in tooth loss. The acid can also affect the color of your teeth and the weakened tooth will be prone to breaking when used in biting or chewing food.

Soft Palate Damage

If you purge caused by bulimia nervosa, your soft palate will suffer from redness or even sore caused by small cuts. The pressure applied using the fingers may cause these damage. It should be avoided to stop causing any damage in your soft palate.

In order to prevent these dental complications, you will need to first make sure to seek treatment for your eating disorder. A good oral health routine should also be observed in order to avoid these incidents from happening. Check the ADCCampbelltownDentalCare.com.au website for more info.

Prevention Of Eating Disorders

A healthy diet is one way to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you have a problem maintaining your weight and always lazy to exercise every day, you can compensate it by having a healthy diet. Although some people are struggling to stick to a diet plan, they end up resorting to crash diets which is not healthy for them. It may result in having an eating disorder which can take it’s toll if not prevented.

Common Types of Eating Disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa
This is when the individual seems to be afraid to eat anything. They excessively check and count the calories of whatever they are about to consume. Ending, they will simply not eat in order to avoid consuming calories.

Bulimia Nervosa
They eat, but excessively. Also known as binge eating. Then they will make themselves throw up before the body gets the nutrition it needs. They believe that by doing so, it will not make them fat. This is not a very good condition since your digestive system will take it as a signal to throw up anytime you eat.

Prevention of Eating Disorders:

1. Prepare your own food

It is a healthier option if you prepare your own food since you can control what you will put in your salad or sandwich. Stop eating or getting take-outs from fast food restaurants. You can research for healthy recipes online and make your list so that you can make them yourself.

2. Be Realistic

Stop comparing yourself to others. Some people may have a thin frame but it doesn’t mean that they are healthy. Celebrities may look great on their small frame but they have to do that because they have to always be in front of the camera which will make them 5x bigger than reality. You will also have to consider your height to achieve the ideal weight.

3. Choose your Friends

It may sound as if it has nothing to do with your eating habits. But it can be a big factor. Your social life determines if who you will become. Do not associate yourself with people who are obsessed with their weight or vice versa. It takes balance whether you will be healthy or not depending on the people you’re always with.

Health Effects Of Eating Disorders

There are a lot of health effects of eating disorders that one may suffer from if they will not take action about it now. Eating disorders are associated with mental health. We need to have a sound mind to also have a sound body.

Here are some Health Effects of Eating Disorders:

1. Weak Muscle Tone
As you suffer from an eating disorder, your body will not get the nutrition it needs therefore, your muscles will be denser than normal. It will make it hard for you to be active if you have weak muscles.

2. Low Red Blood Cells Production
In order to have a healthy body, you also need to have healthy blood production. If you don’t eat most of the times since you are suffering from anorexia nervosa, your RBC production will be slower. This condition will make you feel lazy all the time. Not to mention, dizzy and weak.

3. Irregular Heartbeat
Your heart rate will be slower or faster depending on the individual’s reaction to an eating disorder. If you have bulimia nervosa, your electrolytes can also be affected which may cause your heart to fail and can be fatal.

4. Peptic Ulcer
This is common for people who skip their meals and then do binge eating. Your stomach has acid on it to digest the food you eat. If there’s nothing to digest, it can do harm in your stomach. After suffering without food, it will be harder to digest if you binge eat. The acid production may double to assist with the digestion making your stomach to work harder than ever. It may not function properly anymore and cause a peptic ulcer.

5. High Blood Pressure
If you are a binge eater, your blood pressure may suffer. Our body will adjust to the nutrients it gets when we eat. So when you eat too much, the blood pressure may rise as well to keep up.

These are just a few health effects of eating disorders on our body. Develop a healthy eating habit in order to avoid these in the future.

Eating Disorders And Depression

Mental illness is undoubtedly an aspect of health that impacts each and every person’s life in different ways. Amongst common mental illnesses, eating disorders and depression is largely recognized as common disorders that are diagnosed and found within people of all ages and overall demographics.

Depression, in short, is an illness that is characterized as a mood disorder involving intense feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest, sadness alongside other major symptoms. It is often times characterized by suicidal ideation and/or behavior.

Eating disorders are a group of illnesses that involve the development of majorly unhealthy eating patterns. Often times, eating disorders are based in body dysmorphia, which is the misreading of one’s body and being unable to actually see how one’s body is shaped or sized. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, as well as others.

Eating disorders and depression are sometimes paired together because they are often times based on the disproportionate relationship between the ideal and real self. Eating disorders are recognized to be based in insecurity which is a parallel motive to depression and leading factors to depression.

Depression is sometimes characterized by a loss or change in appetite which can inadvertently develop into an eating disorder. This demonstrates the co-morbid relationship between illnesses.

It is without a doubt that both groups of mental illnesses are serious and can be diagnosed within people of all demographics which means that everyone is likely to be at risk. It is important to recognize the symptoms of each of these illnesses in order to work on assisting people better live with them as well as helping the self to cope with symptoms of mental illness.

Depression and eating disorders, though difficult to live with, are illnesses that can be worked with and deserve the proper nurture and attention.