by By Dennis Gibson, MD, FACP, CEDS
Purging related to eating disorders like bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa can lead to serious, whole-body complications impacting every organ in the body – from dental and gastrointestinal issues to cardiac and metabolic complications. Even though some of the complications of purging are dangerous, all of them are treatable or manageable.
Purging, a form of compensatory behavior is a key feature found in various eating disorder diagnoses. Compensatory behaviors refer to actions aimed at compensating for food intake, preventing weight gain or alleviating feelings of shame or guilt. They are categorized into two types:
Non-purging behaviors: any type of compensatory behavior that does not involve purging, which may include food restriction or fasting, excessive exercise or diet pills Purging behaviors: any compensatory behavior that involves elimination to compensate for food intake; the most common forms of purging include self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, diuretic misuse and enemas…Read full article
