10 Symptoms Of Bulimia
Having a healthy diet is very important for our well-being. While it is true that we should not eat too much, it is also true that we need to eat enough to get the nutrition that we need. Without it, our body will begin to switch to stored reserves, it will also not get the energy that it needs, and our ability to protect ourselves from disease will be affected.
Bulimia is a psychological condition that causes people to become obsessed with their weight and they will often lie to friends and family about their condition. Patients with bulimia run the risk of becoming dangerously thin and becoming very ill. Severe cases can be fatal.
Symptom #1: Weight Loss
The media and society in general tend to focus a lot on the dangers of being overweight, but it is still important for people to maintain a certain body size in order to remain healthy. While we should not over eat, we should also be careful not to under eat in order to maintain our bodies at a healthy size.
Patients with bulimia nervosa can find themselves below their ideal weight but this is not always the case. Some patients can be suffering from this disorder and still manage to have a healthy weight. Obesity can also be seen in patients with bulimia nervosa but it is not the norm. The patients with a more drastic weight loss should be assessed for other conditions like anorexia nervosa.
Symptom #2: Purging
People with bulimia will usually try and hide their condition as much as possible from other people. They will often eat to be seen to be eating in an effort to try and fool others into thinking they are okay. At the first opportunity they get, however, they will purge as much as the food from their bodies as possible.
This is often achieved by using their fingers to force themselves to vomit. The patient might also use other methods such as using laxatives and/or diuretics. One indicator that somebody is doing this is trips to the bathroom every time they finish a meal.
Symptom #3: Damaged Teeth
Our natural stomach juices are quite acidic; this is in order to help them break down the food that we eat. Our stomachs are protected from this acidity by a special lining, but the rest of the body doesn’t have such protection. When a person vomits, other structures come in contact with the acid content of the stomach, causing damage to these tissues.
As mentioned, a patient with bulimia is going to vomit quite a lot. This means that the stomach’s juices will come into contact with the teeth more often than usual, and this can cause them to begin breaking down. The patient can also experience sores in the mouth and throat for the same reason.
Symptom #4: Obsession with Weight
It is not uncommon for people to have some thoughts about their weight. Many will work hard to maintain peak physical condition, while others will have desires to do the same, but not the motivation. It is not usually something that will dominate somebody’s life, however, but bulimia can change that.
People with the condition will often be consumed by an obsession with their weight. They will often bring it up in conversation even when it is completely irrelevant and much of their day-to-day lives will revolve around their weight. This will often remain the case even when the patient is already unhealthily thin.
Symptom #5: Reproductive Symptoms
As much as 50% of women suffering from bulimia nervosa can also experience reproductive symptoms as well.
The most common symptoms we can find are: the prolonged absence of the menses (also known as amenorrhea), difficulties getting pregnant, and many women may experience irregular menstrual cycles as well.
Symptom #6: Obsession with Exercise
Overall, exercise is very good for us. It helps ensure that muscles are strong, our cardiovascular system is in good condition, and it also gives our immune system a boost. Another benefit is that it helps to burn off excess calories, helping to keep the fat off and our weight down.
There is also such a thing as too much exercise, and people can do themselves real harm if they overdo it. There is also the matter of using exercise for the wrong reason, such as in some cases of bulimia. Some people with the condition will have an obsession with exercise, and it is generally not beneficial for them overall.
Symptom #7: Binge Eating
The main characteristic of patients with bulimia nervosa is the binge and purge cycle. This is the hallmark of this condition and it is something that should be assessed properly by a medical professional.
Patients suffering from bulimia nervosa will binge eat abnormal amounts of food, and later on, they will purge the calories away by inducing vomit, using laxatives or even engaging in extreme physical activity to burn the excess calories. Take notice that even the exercise-related purge is considered to be an unhealthy habit that needs to be treated by a professional.
Symptom #8: Withdrawal
Bulimia often has a drastic effect on the patient’s self-esteem as well as their health. Often, when it first strikes, the patient will be a perfectly healthy person that has a healthy social life with friends and family. As it progresses, however, the condition can cause people to become increasingly withdrawn.
People with bulimia will often have a low self-esteem making them reluctant to be around other people. They will also often want to try and hide their eating habits from other people, which will also encourage them to become withdrawn. There are numerous reasons why an otherwise sociable person would become withdrawn, and it is something that should be looked into.
Symptom #9: Russell’s Sign
As already mentioned, patients with bulimia will often try to purge food from the body to avoid absorbing too many of the calories. They can do this in several ways, one of which is to stick their fingers in the back of the throat to force themselves to vomit. This can lead to a symptom that is known as Russell’s sign.
In order to reach the back of the throat, the hand has to be pushed well into the back of the mouth. This causes the knuckles to come into contact with our sharp teeth, and this can cause them to be scratched and scraped. Over time, this will cause the knuckles to develop callouses and sores, and this symptom is known as Russell’s sign.
Symptom #10: Fatigue
The food that we eat gives us the building blocks that we need to be able to build our bodies and to fix general wear and tear as well as injuries. In addition, it also gives us the fuel that we need to generate energy, which is why we begin to get tired when we have not eaten enough food.
A patient with bulimia is likely to be eating very little, or purging pretty much anything that they do eat. This means that there is little fuel for their bodies to use, causing them to become fatigued as a result. The patient is also likely to be losing muscle mass, and this will cause them to become physically weak.
