pagophagia is a condition that causes an individual to compulsively crave and chew ice.
It’s a variety of pica, which could be a disorder that causes people to crave and eat items that aren’t food or haven’t any nutritional value.
If you’re someone who contains a habit of chewing ice occasionally, you must know that this isn’t abnormal and isn’t harmful to your health. However, if you discover that you just have an intense and sustained urge to constantly chew ice—and you are doing so—excessively you may have pagophagia.
In some cases, pagophagia is also indicative of an underlying medical condition like iron deficiency anemia or calcium deficiency.
Pagophagia Symptoms
Having a compulsive longing for ice and chewing ice for elongated periods is that the biggest symptom of the condition. A person with this condition will constantly feel the requirement to either eat ice cubes, frost from the freezer, or drink iced drinks. However, pica-related conditions like pagophagia may be caused by other conditions like anemia or be associated with certain mental disorders like intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or schizophrenia.
Causes
There is no single cause for pagophagia. The condition is also brought on by several things. the foremost common conditions related to pagophagia are listed below.
1. Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency, anemia could be a condition that develops as a result of an absence of iron in your body. It is typically characterized by fatigue, weakness, pale skin, and a swollen tongue. Some people with iron deficiency anemia also develop pagophagia. It is unclear why this happens. One theory is that it provides relief for swollen tongues in those who experience this particular symptom.
In a 2014 study on the connection between iron deficiency anemia and pagophagia, scientists found that 16% of the participants, who all had anemia, had pagophagia.
2. Psychiatric Disorders
Psychiatric disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and autism spectrum disorder might be liable for pagophagia. In people with OCD, pagophagia may develop as a compulsion in response to an obsession. Research also shows that individuals might develop pagophagia in response to anxiety or stressful situations.
3. Other disorders
Other disorders related to pagophagia include calcium deficiency, pregnancy, and eating disorders. For example, some pregnant people crave ice during certain periods of their pregnancy. After delivery, these cravings tend to travel away. Additionally, people with eating disorders might use items that don’t have any nutritional value like ice to trick their stomachs into being full.
Diagnosis
While compulsively chewing ice might sound harmless in itself, it’s going to be caused by a medical condition you’re unaware of. this is often why it’s important to determine a doctor if you discover yourself craving and chewing ice for over a month. Your doctor is possible to check for iron deficiency first, as this is often the foremost common medical condition linked with pagophagia.
Pagophagia Treatment
If your pagophagia is caused by another condition, treating the condition may help relieve your cravings.
For example, in those that have iron deficiency anemia, treating the anemia with iron supplements may help treat your pagophagia. Adjusting your diet to incorporate iron-rich foods like fish and meat could also prevent your anemia from reoccurring.
Depressive disorders have also been linked to pagophagia. in a very 2018 case report, researchers found that administering venlafaxine, an antidepressant, together with cognitive behavior modification (CBT), to a lady who had developed pagophagia as a result of her depression was effective in significantly reducing the severity of her pagophagia.
When a person’s pagophagia is employed as a coping mechanism to house psychosocial stressors—CBT could also be wont to treat the condition.
The focus of CBT in people with pagophagia is to assist them to find healthier coping mechanisms to accommodate their emotional distress.
If left untreated, pagophagia could lead to other medical complications. the foremost common being dental problems. Consuming ice at the amount and frequency people with the condition do, could damage your teeth.
Pagophagia may cause nutritional deficiencies. for instance, consuming large amounts of ice daily might prevent you from eating a diet and supplying your body with enough nutrients to function properly.
The excessive amount of water consumed could cause metabolic disorders like hyponatremia—a condition that happens when the sodium levels in your blood are abnormally low.
Coping
If you or a dear one has been diagnosed with pagophagia, here are some tips to assist you deal with the condition.
1. Take Advantage of Your environment
Your behaviors won’t flee overnight, even after you begin treatment, so depend on the people around you to assist you curb your cravings. This could be as simple as removing ice blocks from your freezer.
Right Skill = Bright Future
2. Be Honest About Your Cravings
Hiding your cravings from your doctor and loved ones can hinder the progress of your treatment. Be open and honest about the severity of them and let people around you recognize if the treatment is functioning.
