Treatment & Diagnosis for Eating Disorders | Eating Disorders

Health and Fitness | Eating Disorders | * Written by Rekha Reddy | Thursday, 18 October 2012 05:04 | Word Count: 782

Eating disorders are a group of serious conditions in which you're so anxious about food and body weight that you can often focus on little more else. The main important types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating problem. Eating conditions can cause serious physical issues and, at most serious can even be life-threatening. Most individuals with eating conditions are women, but men can also have eating conditions. An exemption is binge-eating problem, which seems to impact almost as many men as women.

Treatment:

Eating disorder treatment depends on your specific type of eating disorder. But in general, it typically includes psychotherapy, nutrition education and medication. If your life is at risk, you may need immediate hospitalization.

1. ?Psychotherapy:

Individual psychotherapy can help you learn how to exchange unhealthy habits for healthy ones. Psychotherapy can also help improve your relationships and your mood. A type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy is commonly used in eating disorder treatment, especially for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Group therapy also may be helpful for some people.

Family-based therapy is the only effective treatment for children and adolescents with eating disorders. This type of therapy begins with the assumption that the person with the eating disorder is no longer capable of making sound decisions regarding his or her health and needs help from the family.

1. ?Hospitalization:

Hospitalization may be on a medical or psychiatric ward. Some clinics specialize in treating people with eating disorders. Some may offer day programs, rather than full hospitalization. Specialized eating disorder programs may offer more intensive treatment over longer periods of time.

1. Medications:

Medication can't cure an eating disorder. However, medications may help you control urges to binge or purge or to manage excessive preoccupations with food and diet. Medications such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications may also help with symptoms of depression or anxiety, which are frequently associated with eating disorders.

Diagnosis:

Eating disorders are diagnosed based on signs, symptoms and eating habits. When doctors suspect someone has an eating disorder, they typically run many tests or perform exams. These can help pinpoint a diagnosis and also check for related complications. You may see both a medical doctor and a mental health provider for a diagnosis.

1. Physical evaluations:

These exams and tests generally include:

• Physical exam. This may include measuring height, weight and body mass index; checking vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure and temperature; checking the skin for dryness or other problems; listening to the heart and lungs; and examining your abdomen.
• Laboratory tests. These may include a complete blood count, as well as more-specialized blood tests to check electrolytes and protein, as well as liver, kidney and thyroid function. A urinalysis also may be done.
• Other studies. X-rays may be taken to check for pneumonia or heart problems. Electrocardiograms may be done to look for heart irregularities. You may also have a bone density test.

2. Psychological evaluations:

In addition to a physical exam, you'll have a thorough psychological evaluation. Your doctor or mental health provider may ask you a number of questions about your eating habits, beliefs and behavior. You may also fill out psychological self-assessments and questionnaires.

3. Diagnostic criteria:

To be diagnosed with an eating disorder, you must meet criteria spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. Each eating disorder has its own set of diagnostic criteria. Your mental health provider will review your signs and symptoms to see if you meet the necessary diagnostic criteria for a particular eating disorder.

For more related information, please visit Science Daily. Science Daily keeps track of the major research and discoveries across all spheres of scientific studies including physical sciences and biology, with an aim to provide detail-oriented insights into the world of scientific updates that happen on a regular basis.

?

Author works for OMICS Group. OMICS Publishing Group is built upon the principles of Open Access and is determined to provide free and unrestricted access of research articles to scientists around the world for the advancement of science and technology.

?

Article Source: Article Directory - http://www.freearticleforyou.com

27

Additional Information on Author

Author of this article: Rekha Reddy.

Number of Articles Published: 21

View Authors profile

Rekha Reddy joined FAFY - Free Article For You on Monday, 02 July 2012.

Additional Articles

Re-Publish: Treatment & Diagnosis for Eating Disorders

You have permission to re-publish this article electronically or in print, as long as you are able to follow the Publishers Guidelines.

Source: http://www.freearticleforyou.com/Health-and-Fitness/Eating-Disorders/treatment-a-diagnosis-for-eating-disorders.html

r. kelly macular degeneration whitney houston funeral judi dench alicia keys bobby brown leaves funeral donnie mcclurkin