What is rumination disorder? Symptoms, causes and treatment methods Could you have a rumination disorder? Digestive and nutritional problems can have a significant impact on our quality of life and include a wide range of disorders. To have a healthy and satisfying life, it is very important to know these problems and take timely action to treat them. But are all these digestive disorders treatable? One of the less known problems in this field is rumination disorder or rumination syndrome. In this article, we will fully review this disorder. If you see the symptoms of this condition in yourself, you can consult a psychologist or psychiatrist in person or online through the Pirouzi Psychology Clinic website.

What is rumination disorder? Rumination Disorder is a rare condition in which a person regurgitates and usually swallows the food they have swallowed without feeling nauseated or vomiting. In some cases, the person may spit out the food. This process may be repeated several times. This disorder, which is more common in men, usually occurs in babies under one year old, but it can also be seen in older children, teenagers, and even adults. If this problem persists, it can lead to malnutrition, severe weight loss, and in severe cases, even death. Although in many cases, the disorder resolves itself, but in some people it may remain chronic and dangerous. This problem can be related to developmental disabilities, cognitive delays or other psychological problems. To diagnose this disorder, a person must experience this behavior for at least one month. Rumination disorder criteria It has been at least a month that a person repeatedly brings food from the stomach to the mouth. Food brought up from the stomach to the mouth may be re-chewed, re-swallowed or spit out. Frequent rumination cannot be attributed to a gastrointestinal or other medical condition. (for example, to gastrointestinal reflux or to pyloric stenosis) This behavior does not occur only when a person suffers from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or ARFID disorder. If the symptoms occur while the person has another mental disorder (eg, intellectual disability or another neurodevelopmental disorder), they must be severe enough to warrant special attention from doctors and psychologists. (American Psychological Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5-TR, Dr. Mehdi Ganji, Tehran, Savalan) Symptoms of rumination disorder Rumination disorder is associated with a set of physical and behavioral symptoms that can have serious effects on a person's health. These symptoms include the following: ### Chewing food again People with this disorder usually regurgitate swallowed food from the stomach to the mouth, rechewing it and swallowing it, or in some cases regurgitating it. ### Frequent heartaches Repeated regurgitation of food from the stomach can irritate the digestive system and cause abdominal pain. ### Frequent vomiting of food In some cases, a person throws up undigested food without feeling sick, which may lead to nutrient deficiencies and digestive problems. ### Bad breath Food remaining in the mouth and constantly regurgitating it from the stomach can cause an unpleasant smell in the mouth. ### Unwanted weight loss If this behavior continues continuously, the person may suffer from malnutrition, severe weight loss and lack of vitamins and minerals. These symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the disorder and the physical condition of the person. In some people, the symptoms are mild and transient, but in severe cases, there is a need for medical intervention and specialized treatment. Consequences of rumination disorder in people's performance Malnutrition caused by frequent feeding may be associated with delayed physical growth and negatively affect growth and learning ability. Some older people with ruminating disorder deliberately reduce their food intake because it is socially frowned upon to pick up food. Because of this, they may lose weight or be underweight. In older children, adolescents, and adults, social functioning is more likely to be negatively affected. (American Psychological Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5-TR, Dr. Mehdi Ganji, Tehran, Savalan) Causes of rumination disorder The exact cause of rumination disorder has not yet been fully determined, but it seems that increased pressure in the abdominal area is one of the factors that play a role in its occurrence. This disorder is sometimes confused with diseases such as bulimia nervosa, gastric reflux and gastroparesis. In some cases, people with this syndrome may also have anal discharge problems. This disorder is observed abundantly in babies and people with developmental disabilities. Also, this disease is not limited to a certain age and may occur in children, teenagers and adults. People who suffer from anxiety, depression or other mental disorders are more susceptible to this syndrome. Rumination disorder treatment The treatment of rumination syndrome depends on various factors such as symptoms, age and general condition of the person. Also, the severity of the disease is also influential in determining effective treatment methods. Currently, there is no drug to definitively treat this disorder. Primary treatment usually involves behavioral therapy to correct maladaptive patterns. One of the common treatment methods is diaphragmatic breathing. Diaphragm is a large and dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs. In this method, the person is taught to breathe properly and prevent excess pressure on the abdomen. This technique is usually taught by behavioral psychologists and is simple to learn. The best time to do this exercise is before each meal to avoid food regurgitation. With constant practice, most people can learn this method well and reduce the annoying symptoms of this disorder.

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