People are consuming lots of food every day. But, apart from these, there are other ones that individuals are swallowing each day, which go to the stomach. The unfortunate thing with swallowing these other things is that it can lead to a development of a certain condition. In this case, bezoar is the condition that forms. Bezoar is described as the ball that forms out of the foreign materials accidentally or unknowingly swallowed. These foreign materials are usually fiber or hair. Once swallowed, these materials accumulate in the stomach. The problem starts when this formed ball of foreign materials failed to pass from end to end of the intestine.
Bezoar not only comprises foreign materials. It can also be undigested or partially materials that when formed into a ball becomes difficult to pass through the stomach. It is an occurring condition that often happens to people suffering from an abnormal gastric emptying. People who have undergone gastric surgery and also those with diabetic gastroparesis also develop this condition. There are lots of bezoars that are astmptomatic. However, there are some that lead to gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. The good thing is that some of these can be dissolved through enzymes or be removed with the use of endoscope.
The case of bezoar formation is common among children that are emotionally disturbed or the mentally retarded ones. The formation of this ball is commonly seen among women aged 10 to 19. Although the risk of having a bezoar is low, people still need to be aware of the bezoar symptoms. Knowing the bezoar symptoms will let you know what to do and how the case may be dealt with.
Generally, the formation of bezoars does not involve symptoms, which are seen and proven in most of the patients. However, occurrences of painful GI bleeding may happen. These are just the effects of a bezoar. Nausea and vomiting and postprandial fullness can also be experienced. Other than these, there may be the occurrence of indigestion, diarrhea, distress, an upset stomach and gastric ulcers. All of these are indications that a person might have a bezoar. If you notice these in your child, it would be good to bring him or her to a physician already. This way, the necessary medical examinations and tests can be done.
Based on the findings, a treatment will be prescribed to the patient. It can either be a surgery for the removal of the bezoar. There are a lot that can occur to a person with a bezoar. Since vomiting is one the effects to be experienced by the patient, there is a chance that it may lead to dehydration if it persists. Thus, it will be a nice decision to bring the patient to a professional practitioner as soon as it is suspected that the person has it.
There is a way to prevent having a bezoar. It includes trimming the hair of the child. This way, there is no risk of the child putting the ends of the hair into their mouth. Keep away all materials that are indigestible and may possibly be put by the child in their mouth. By doing these, formation of bezoar and experiencing the associated symptoms are also prevented.
