What Is Pica? Rare Eating Disorder That Left Agra Teen With Shocking 7-Feet Long Hairball, Rubber bands, Stones in Stomach

Jaipur: Doctors at the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur successfully removed a 210 cm (6' 10.6'' ft) long ball of hair from the stomach of a 14-year-old girl on Tuesday, May 27.

This mass of hair is believed to be the world's longest trichobezoar (a ball or mass of hair, and sometimes other materials like food or mucus that accumulates in the stomach or intestines) since the last recorded length of such a trichobezoar was 180 cm.

Why did the Girl Swallow a Ball of Hair?

The teen who underwent the surgery is a resident of Barara village in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. She was experiencing abdominal pain and vomiting for over a month. A Contrast-Enhanced CT (CECT) scan revealed an unusual object extending through her digestive tract.

It was then realised, that the teenager was suffering from a psychological condition called 'Pica' where a person has compulsive eating disorder and eats nonfood items. Doctors found pieces of wood, rubber bands, stones, threads, etc., in the girl's stomach as they were operating on her.

As per reports, the girl is now recovering, and will soon be discharged once doctors ensure her condition is improved.  

What is Pica Disorder? 

As stated by the American Psychiatric Association's Fifth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Pica is a eating disorder that leads to persistent eating of non-nutritive, non-food substances over a period of at least a month. 

The disorder owes its name to a bird species - Pica pica or Eurasian magpie, with a reputation for eating unusual substances.

Is Pica a Common Disorder?

Pica is quite common but the exact numbers are hard to determine as the condition can sometimes be entirely missed by healthcare professionals when people try to hide facts about themselves or unusual signs in kids.

The disorder generally affects children below six, pregnant women, people with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, schizophrenia, etc., and since it is compulsive, people suffering with the disorder cannot easily control the urge.

Also read: What Is Vitamin D And B12 Deficiency? Natural Ways To Recover

What are the Causes?

The exact causes behind Pica disorder are yet to be determined by the healthcare experts; however, it is believed that factors like - stress, anxiety, negative childhood conditions like poverty, abuse or neglect, nutritional deficiencies like anemia, calcium or zinc deficiencies, mental health conditions, certain medications, or pregnancy - many a times escalate to this situation.

How to Recognise the Signs? 

If a person is eating items with no nutritional value for over a month, is past a particular mental age to effectively decide what to eat and what not to eat, has no such cultural or social background to explain the behavior, and no medical history of eating unusual items, then the person might be suffering from Pica, and needs professional medical care.