Due to the physical impact of purging, bulimia nervosa (BN) has the potential to cause significant damage to the throat.

These complications can make it hard to talk and painful to swallow. And the repeated behavior can even increase the risk of esophageal cancer, a dangerous and potentially deadly condition.

Bulimia can cause significant damage to a person’s oral health, especially their teeth, mostly as a result of purging. 

And while it’s possible to stop or reverse some of these effects, the longer someone struggles with disordered eating behavior, the more at risk they become for imparting permanent damage.

Of all mental health disorders, eating disorders are often considered the most dangerous—and, sadly, the conditions often have a high mortality rate.

Many people with bulimia nervosa (BN) or other eating disorders misuse laxatives in the hopes of losing or controlling weight. But this practice is not only ineffective, it can also be dangerous.

Bulimia jaw is a term for a number of symptoms that can result from the purging aspect of bulimia nervosa (BN). It can refer to swelling, intense pain, and a misalignment of the jaw, and sometimes require surgery to correct.

While more research is arguably needed on the subject, Prozac is approved for the treatment of bulimia, although it works best when combined with other talk-based therapies. 

There are a number of indicators that you may be more susceptible to developing anorexia nervosa (AN). Everything from your individual physiology, to the way you think about your body, to your cultural upbringing can all be potential anorexia risk factors.

Anorexia nervosa may be accompanied by episodes of purging, which is called purging type anorexia. This version of the disorder affects the teeth, as the acid in vomit can wear down enamel. 

But there are certain techniques that can be adopted to help reduce the damage purging can cause.

Understanding bulimia facts can help you spot the condition in people who need help. And armed with information, you can help them to get the treatment they need.

Run a search for “bulimia test,” and you’ll get more than 8 million Google results. Should you take one? And what should you do with your score?

Bulimia doesn’t technically harm your teeth. But one habit common in people with bulimia can cause extensive dental damage you’ll need a professional to address

Bulimia is a severe mental health disorder, but it responds to treatment. The sooner you spot the signs and enroll a patient in care, the more likely it is that the person will make a full recovery.

Knowing how to help someone with bulimia isn’t easy for anyone. It’s especially difficult for parents. 

Bulimia can touch teenagers; some start eating in unusual patterns long before they qualify for a formal bulimia diagnosis. Spotting the early signs can help you intervene and get your child the proper treatment.

Bulimia and acne are closely related. Bingeing and purging can harm your skin in visible and persistent ways, and it’s hard to clear up acne while your eating disorder persists.

Bulimia can cause other unsightly changes to your skin too. And sometimes, those problems are so noticeable that your friends and family ask questions.

You’ve probably seen photos of the so-called “bulimia jaw.” Before-and-after snaps can be striking, particularly if they show people with cheeks puffed up by repeated vomiting. 

Repeated vomiting irritates salivary glands, leading to swelling and pain. Stop purging early, and the problem fades quickly. But the longer you continue with frequent purging, the worse the issue gets.

Bulimia medication could be part of your recovery plan. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can ease physical symptoms, reduce urges, and help you feel better. 

Researchers say bulimia medications are generally helpful. [1] One medication, fluoxetine, is FDA-approved for bulimia treatment. Your doctor can dip into other options if you don’t respond to this treatment.

The terms exercise bulimia and anorexia athletica are synonyms. They refer to a condition many live with, but few experts have studied it. If you have lost control of your exercise habit, you may need to keep reading.

Before bulimia and after—you can probably split your life into these two parts, and chances are, you’d like the “after” part to begin as quickly as possible. Recovery from bulimia isn’t quick, and most people need months (or years) to complete the process. [1] But your hard work is worthwhile.

In the short term, bulimia is going to cause a person to experience issues related to their purging, such as inflammation and gastrointestinal distress. Over time, bulimia can cause a person to experience very serious symptoms, such as severe dehydration, organ damage, stroke, and heart attack. Some of these symptoms can be life-threatening or cause permanent damage to the body.

Bulimia can cause puffiness in the face as a result of purging, which can cause swelling in the parotid glands. While not dangerous, this swelling can sometimes cause pain and significantly affect a person’s facial aesthetic.

You can take a self-assessment, know the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, and recognize the signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa (BN), but a professional medical opinion should alway be considered when trying to determine if you do have bulimia or any eating disorder.

Signs of bulimia can be subtle and easy to explain away. But if you look closely, you could discover that someone you love is struggling. Together, you can seek out services and find a path forward.

Eating disorders like bulimia are incredibly serious. In fact, eating disorders are second only to opioid use disorders when researchers rank deadly mental illnesses. (1) Untreated bulimia can lead to heart disease, digestive distress, and kidney disease. In the long term, it can also weaken your bones, leading to osteoporosis. People with bulimia have an increased mortality risk compared to those without the disorder.

People with bulimia nervosa will go to great lengths to hide their illness from others. Few people with this eating disorder will tell their friends and family about their bingeing and purging episodes. But some symptoms are hard to ignore, and you must speak up when you see them.

Researchers say the lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa is about 1%. But is that number accurate? (1)

Out of every 10 people with an eating disorder, only about one gets treatment. Chances are, there are many other people in the world right now with bulimia who are undiagnosed.

Traditional therapies for bulimia nervosa (BN) fall into two categories: pharmacologic (medication) and nonpharmacologic. This section will briefly describe the nonpharmacologic therapy, or psychotherapy options for bulimia nervosa, how they can help, and how to get the best results.

There are several criteria that need to be met in order to have a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, including eating a large amount of food in less than two hours and excessive concern about body weight and shape.

In addition to symptoms, those suffering from bulimia nervosa also have accompanying feelings of distress, remorse, and self-loathing.

Those with bulimia nervosa (BN) often struggle with negative perceptions about their body shape, size, and weight. To attempt to prevent weight gain, they might abuse medications, a type of compensatory behavior. Medications misused by people with bulimia nervosa include diet pills, laxatives, diuretics, emetics, and enemas.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a complex eating disorder affecting millions of people of all genders in the United States. (1) The causes of bulimia nervosa can range from person to person, and include multiple factors. Some individuals are more heavily influenced by environmental factors and genetics, while others develop bulimia nervosa due to mental health conditions or their relationship to exercise and dieting.

Relapse is part of the recovery process. Each time you step back into a bulimia activity, you learn something you can apply when temptation strikes again. 

Less than 1% of the American population has bulimia. Those who do might cycle through several periods of wellness and relapse before they regain control over their eating habits. (1)