Anorexia Nervosa Treatment in India

What is Anorexia Nervosa

The illness of the mind!

It is a serious, potentially life-threatening mental health condition ,which is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss(eating disorder). People suffering from anorexia mostly do this by limiting the amount of food they eat, making themselves vomit, and having a vigorous exercise routine

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Anorexia mostly affects the girls and women, though in recent years it has become more common in boys and men . On average, the condition first develops at around the age of 16 to 17.

Types

Two main type are :

• Restricting type:  this is the most common type of Anorexia Nervosa . In this type, a person strictly restricts their food intake.  Restriction may possibly take several forms (e.g. maintaining very low calorie count, restricting types of food eaten, eating only one meal a day) and it may follow obsessive and rigid rules (e.g. only eating food of one color).

• Binge-eating or purging type: This is less known & in this type also a person strictly restricts their food intake , but along with that they also get engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (e.g. self induced vomiting, over-exercise, misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas).

CAUSES

The cause for the development of Anorexia differs from person to person.Currently, it is thought that anorexia nervosa develops as a result of multiple factors, both biological and environmental.

Examples of environmental factors that would contribute to the occurrence of anorexia nervosa are:

• The effects of the thinnessculture in media, that constantly reinforce thin people as ideal stereotypes
• Professions and careers that promote being thin and weight loss, such as ballet and modeling
• Family and childhood traumas: childhood sexual abuse, severe trauma
• Peer pressure among friends and co-workers to be thin or be sexy.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

People suffering from anorexia often try to hide their behavior from family and friends by lying about eating habits or pretending to have eaten earlier. Signs & symptoms of a person suffering from anorexia include :

Food & behavior
 

• Dieting in spite of being thin

• Obsession with calories, fat grams, and nutrition 

• Pretending to eat or lying about eating 

• Leaving the table immediately after eating so they can vomit

• Anxiety with food – Constantly thinking about food

• Odd or secretive food rituals 

Appearance & body image

• Remarkable weight loss  with no medical reason.

• Feeling fat, despite being underweight .

• Obsession with body image , repetitively weighing themselves or checking their body in the mirror

• Denial that they are too thin 

Purging signs and symptoms

• Using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics 

• Rigorous exercising 

• Physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss, or dry skin

EFFECT ON OVERALL HEALTH

• Dry hair and skin, hair loss is the most common effect

• Fainting, fatigue, and weakness

• Anemia

• Loss or disturbance in the menstruation cycle in females

• Compromised immune system

• Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis) resulting in dry, brittle bones

• Muscle loss and weakness

• Severe dehydration, which can lead to kidney failure.

• Increased risk of heart failure

• Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body

ANOREXIA VS DIETING

The restrictive eating patterns that characterize anorexia nervosa are similar to dieting patters , but there is a severe differences between the two of them .

DIAGNOSIS

If a doctor suspects that a patient is suffering from anorexia nervosa, then the patient will be advised to go for a number of tests and exams to help identify a diagnosis, rule out medical causes for the weight loss, and to check for any related complications. These include :

Physical exam

This includes a complete physical examination ,which includes measuring the height & weight ,checking the vital signs .

Lab test

These include the following test

• CBC

• Albumin

• Bone density test to check for thin bones (osteoporosis)

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

• Electrolytes

• Kidney function tests

• Liver function tests

• Total protein

• Thyroid function tests

• Urinalysis

Psychological evaluation

Patient will be asked to go for a complete psychological self-assessment questionnaires.

TREATMENT

Treatment mostly involves a combination of psychological therapy and customized advice on eating and nutrition to help gain weight safely.

Medical therapy

The top most priority in the treatment of anorexia nervosa is to treat any serious health issues that may have been caused by anorexia, such as osteoporosis, heart problems, or depression .

Nutritional therapy

A patient can't recover from an eating disorder without returning back to an appropriate body weight and learning proper nutrition. This therapy focuses on weight restoration, execution and supervision of a customized meal plan, and providing education about normal eating patterns.

Psychological therapy

It has been seen that psychological treatment helps in reducing the severity, impact and duration of Anorexia Nervosa. The main goal of this part of the treatment is to identify the underlying issue linked with the eating disorder, address and heal from traumatic life events, learn healthier handle skills and further develop the capacity to express and deal with emotional changes.

Home remedies

Anorexia Nervosa Treatment in India

Anorexia nervosa is such a disease whose treatment incorporates proper diagnosis and medication. India provides the most appropriate treatment for it as the country not only has well-established doctors coupled with advanced hospitals but also provides international patients with a cost effective treatment.

The Indian hospitals consist of modern laboratories, cath labs and a well developed medicine unit. The doctors with their day-to-day research and ongoing treatment are well adept to their skills of diagnosis and treatment.  

Cost of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment in India

Anorexia nervosa treatment requires proper diagnosis, medication and treatment. In India, the cost of anorexia nervosa treatment in approximately between USD 300 and USd 500. 

References

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anorexia-nervosa/Pages/Introduction.aspx

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/anorexia-nervosa

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa.htm

http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/anorexia