Medical Problems
If not stopped, starving, stuffing, and purging can lead to irreversible physical damage and
even death. Eating disorders can affect every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. The following
is a partial list of the medical dangers associated with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder:
- Irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, death
- kidney damage, death
- Liver damage (made worse by substance abuse), death
- Destruction of teeth, rupture of oesophagus, loss of muscle mass
- Damage to lining of stomach; gastritis, gastric distress
- Disruption of menstrual cycle, infertility
- Stunted growth due to under nutrition. Even after recovery and weight restoration,
person may not catch up to expected normal height
- Weakened immune system
- Icy hands and feet
- Swollen glands in neck; stones in salivary duct. "Chipmunk cheeks."
- Excess hair on face, arms, and body
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