Anorexia
Anorexia occurs when a person’s desire to eat is reduced, and there are many reasons that can affect a person’s appetite. These include mental problems and physical illnesses that can affect the person. Anorexia can also cause symptoms such as weight loss or bad Nutrition, therefore, finding the underlying cause of anorexia and treatment is necessary.
Causes of anorexia
There are many medical reasons leading to anorexia, some temporary as anorexia of side effects of some drugs, some of them because of a long-term health problem, and sometimes associated with anorexia nervosa (Anorexia Nervosa) and other times Is related to a change in the sense of taste.
Of the medical reasons that may be a side effect loss of appetite:
- Addison disease, a disease that leads to impaired adrenal function.
- Alcoholic disease, which means liver destruction due to excessive drinking.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease. This disease is caused by a viral infection that causes ulcers in the mouth, hands and feet.
- Asthma in children, and asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease affects the respiratory tract in the patient.
- Binge eating disorders. Eating disorders are often eaten in a fast way, then feel guilty and may dispose of unhealthy food.
- Cancer, and side effects of cancer treatment.
- Allergy to wheat (Celiac disease) is caused by an anti-gluten reaction in wheat, barley and wheat.
- Crohn’s disease, which affects the ability to digest food, as well as symptoms of pain and diarrhea.
- Dementia (Dementia) is a loose term that means a deterioration of the patient’s mental abilities in a way that affects his or her life.
- Depression; where it affects the body as well as the mind and can affect the way the person is eating.
- diabetic.
- Stress.
- Dysentery, an inflammation of the intestine, especially the colon, usually causes severe diarrhea accompanied by blood and mucus, and leads to a feeling of nausea nausea loss of appetite.
- Ectopic pregnancy (Ectopic pregnancy).
- Endocarditis is a rare and dangerous infection of life that affects the inner layer or lining of the heart.
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD); a disorder that affects the sphincter muscle down the esophagus, which separates the esophagus and stomach, leading to gastric acid reflux into the esophagus.
- Hepatitis C.
- Kidney failure.
- Pancreatitis.
- Giardiasis (Giardiasis); it affects small intestinal inflammation caused by the Giardia lamblia parasite.
- Ulcerative colitis (colitis).
Signs of anorexia
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of anorexia and the behaviors of a diet or even behaviors of normal eating, and can distinguish between loss of appetite and other medical conditions by observing the following signs of disease on the patient:
- Extreme weight loss.
- The slim appearance.
- Dizziness and fainting.
- General fatigue.
- Congestions occur.
- Double nails.
- Weakness of hair, breaking and falling.
- Reduction of Blood pressure.
- Absence of menstruation (menopause).
- Constipation.
- Arrhythmia.
- The possibility of cold.
- High liver enzymes.
- Drought.
- Osteoporosis, loss of calcium from the bones leading to fractures.
- Abnormal blood count.
- As for The most serious illness signs , Which may indicate that the person suffers from an eating disorder is Anorexia Nervosa, they are as follows:
- Refuse to eat.
- Avoid meals.
- Denial of hunger, even when a person is hungry.
- Find excuses for not eating.
- Mania in size and shape of the body.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Eat certain foods and few, usually low fat and dietary calories.
- Eat food habits, spit food after chewing, or chop food into small pieces.
- Food weight.
- Cook meals for others but refuse to eat them.
Diagnosis of anorexia
Diagnosis of anorexia begins by knowing the symptoms of the patient, measuring his weight and height, comparing it with the normal mean length and weight, and then knowing the patient’s history of the patient, the medication he is taking, and the patient’s diet. The doctor should also know when symptoms start, , The amount of weight lost by the patient, and whether the symptoms occurred after an important event in the patient’s life, and does not suffer from any other symptoms.
The doctor may then ask for specific tests to determine the cause of anorexia, such as an ultrasound examination, a full blood count, a liver, thyroid and kidney function, and a X-ray image to see the esophagus, stomach and intestines. The doctor may request a Computed Tomography for the head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The doctor may also request a pregnancy test if the patient is female, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test.
Treatment of anorexia
The treatment of anorexia depends on the cause. For example, if the cause of anorexia is a viral or bacterial infection, anorexia in this case does not require treatment.
Home Care
If the cause of anorexia is a medical condition such as cancer or a chronic disease, it is difficult to stimulate one’s appetite, but eating with family and friends as well as cooking a person’s favorite food or eating in a restaurant would stimulate the person to eat. Light exercise may also improve a person’s appetite.
One of the best tips for people who suffer from anorexia is to eat small, rather than large meals during the day. The stomach is better digested, and the meals are rich in calories and protein.
The patient can keep a diary to record the meals he or she is eating for several days or a week. This may help the doctor assess the amount of food the patient is eating and the extent of the low appetite.
Drug therapy
The doctor may prescribe one of the aphrodisiacs for the patient. If there is malnutrition, the patient is provided with intravenous nutrients. Anorexia is also treated by changing medications or replacing the drug with another. If the doctor suspects that anorexia is caused by myself, the patient will be referred to a psychiatrist who will treat the cause, be it depression, eating disorder or misuse of medication.
Complications of non-treatment of anorexia
If the appetite decreases because of the short-term condition, the appetite is likely to return as normal as the previous without any long-term effects, however if the appetite decreases, the condition may worsen if left untreated, and the decreased appetite can be accompanied by more severe symptoms , As follows:
- If the patient has been suffering from anorexia for more than a few weeks or has had malnutrition and a lack of important elements in the body, consult your doctor as soon as possible so that the patient does not have potentially life-threatening complications.