| Russell's sign | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Causes | The most common causes of Russell’s sign are bulimia, purging disorder, and anorexia nervosa. |
| Diagnostic method | Russell's sign can be used as a factor to diagnose bulimia nervosa, purging disorder, or anorexia nervosa |
| Differential diagnosis | Indirect sign of bulimia nervosa, purging disorder, or anorexia nervosa |
| Deaths | While Russell’s sign in of itself has not caused any deaths, it is a sign of potentially deadly disorders such as bulimia nervosa, purging disorder, and anorexia nervosa. |
Russell's sign, named after British psychiatristGerald Russell, is asign[1] defined ascalluses on theknuckles[2] or back of the hand due to repeated self-inducedvomiting over long periods of time. The condition generally arises from the patient's knuckles making contact with theincisor teeth during the act of inducing thegag reflex at the back of thethroat with their finger(s).[3]
This type of scarring is considered one of the physical indicators of amental illness, and Russell's sign is primarily found in patients with aneating disorder such asbulimia nervosa,purging disorder, oranorexia nervosa. It is almost always associated with eating disorders and is the most characteristic skin condition indicative of purging.[2][4]
People who are capable of "handsfree purging", or the induction of vomiting by the willful opening of the esophageal sphincter in a manner similar tobelching, while contracting the stomach muscles, do not have Russell's sign. People who use a fork, spoon, or foreign object to stimulate the gag reflex may not display Russell's sign.
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