Causes of loss of normal appetite.
- Serious liver diseases: chronic renal failure, cirrhosis.
- Serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, acute heart failure.
- Pneumonia, HIV, hepatitis, kidney infections, influenza.
- Inflammation of the intestines, digestive canal or pancreatitis.
- Endocrine problems, low thyroid hormone levels, diabetes mellitus.
- Some cancers - blood cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer.
- Autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma.
- Certain medications, antibiotics, anesthetics, chemotherapy, diabetes medications.
- Preparations digitalis, demerol, morphine, sympathomimetics - for example, ephedrine.
- Mental disorders: anorexia nervosa, depression, schizophrenia.
- Pregnancy.
- Some types of dementia - for example, Alzheimer's disease.
In addition, some bad habits also cause loss of appetite: the use of non-alcoholic sweetened drinks or sweets between dishes. Sometimes excessive use of "heavy" foods, rich in saturated fats, can cause loss of appetite. In addition, there are many more reasons. And in some cases it happens that the reason to identify is simply impossible.
Diagnosis of loss of appetite.
If there is a gradual loss of appetite, accompanied by weight loss, a medical examination is necessary - these symptoms can signal serious health problems.
A medical examination involves a series of tests to find out the causes of poor appetite. With the help of a blood test, determine whether the cause lies in hormonal imbalance, the onset of diabetes, liver disease. Urinalysis can detect kidney infections. Chest X-ray provides an opportunity to identify lung cancer or pneumonia. Among the medical procedures that diagnose the causes of poor appetite, the most common are:
- complete blood count,
- test for HIV,
- study of the abdominal cavity organs,
- testing the function of the kidneys, liver,
- barium enema,
- study of thyroid function,
- Analysis of urine,
- X-ray of the upper gastrointestinal tract,
- pregnancy test.
Consequences of long-term lack of appetite.
If there is a lack of appetite for several weeks, the result may be a depletion of the body, a lack of nutrients necessary for its normal functioning. Many consequences depend on the cause that caused the loss of appetite. So, diabetes can lead to disruption of the work of various internal organs (kidneys, nervous system, eyes), and cancer - to death.
Treatment of loss of normal appetite.
In many ways, treatment depends on the cause of this condition. As a rule, the appetite is restored after the disease, which has become the cause of poor appetite, is completely cured.
- If the loss of appetite is associated with pregnancy, then, as such, no treatment is required, after a few weeks the appetite will recover itself.
- If the loss of appetite is caused by nausea, then for treatment use, mainly, drugs such as ondansetron or promethazine.
- If appetite loss is caused by appendicitis, surgical intervention will be required.
- People suffering from dementia are prescribed high-calorie nutritional formulas, and even artificial nutrition through a gastrostomy tube.
- If loss of appetite is associated with a decreased level of thyroid hormone, special hormone-replacement drugs are prescribed.
- If the cause of the lack of appetite are infectious diseases, the treatment is carried out with antibiotics.
- The main methods of cancer treatment are radiation and chemotherapy, surgical intervention.
Getting rid of bad appetite at home.
At home, the loss of appetite can be helped by the inclusion in the diet of nutritious meals, snacks, drinks, rich in protein.
Yeast, along with a complex of vitamin B, is one of the most effective nutritional food supplements. Still very well stimulate the appetite of green vegetables. The lack of zinc mineral affects olfaction and touch, and this has a negative effect on the person's appetite.
Stimulate your appetite with herbal infusions if you drink them half an hour before meals. If you lose your appetite caused by emotional problems, you should use herbal decoctions based on chamomile, melissa, dill, peppermint. The healing properties of these herbs will help not only to calm the psyche, but also stimulate the appetite.