A Clinical Study of One Patient Suffering Anorexia Nervosa-like Symptoms

【Anorexia nervosa is a serious, often chronic, and life-threatening eating disorder defined by a refusal to maintain minimal body weight (within 15% of an individual s normal weight). Other essential features of this disorder include an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and amenorrhea(absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles when they are otherwise expected to occur). With anorexia nervosa, the nails and hair become brittle, and the skin may become dry and yellow. In addition to depression, hypothermia, lanugo, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and dehydration from sweating can appear. Starvation, weight loss, and related medical complications are quite serious and can result in death. Recently one patient was admitted with anorexia nervosa-like symptoms. The patient is a 18-year-old girl with complaints of weight loss, amenorrhea, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, tremor, and sweating. After treatment through oriental medicine for 2 weeks, most of the symptoms improved. Therefore, this application of oriental medicine is reported with a plea for further investigation.】