Swollen glands in your face such as the Lymph nodes, Salivary glands and Parotid glands, are one of the tell tale signs and common side effects of bulimia. Often this is brought about by frequent bingeing and purging, which aggravates areas of your face and neck. By now you may have noticed the direct correlation of your chaotic binging and vomiting, and the prominent gland enlargement.

Unlike the swollen glands that occur in a healthy person indicating invasive infection, in a bulimia sufferer the enlargement of your face and glands are due to your natural body’s defense mechanism, to counter the damage caused by constant attack from the stomach acids like Hydrochloric acid. This onslaught or irritation is what gives that permanent look of a round face that most sufferers despise as it makes them feel “fat”. The fact that the rest of your body feels normal or proportionate may go unnoticed or fail to give you any comfort. Instead your bulimia pre-occupation or obsession fuels you to enter into a compensatory behavior such as dieting, food restriction, over exercising laxative or diuretic abuse.

Unfortunately, your body can only go about reducing and normalizing the shape and size of your glands, if the behavior of bingeing and purging dramatically reduces or stops all together. The rate of swollen gland recovery time will depend very much on your own body’s ability to reverse the damage done in the area of your throat, jaw, mouth and upper gut (Oesophagus). Swelling, bleeding, or ulcers including losing your voice and being more prone to sore throat and infection in this region are all good indicators that bulimia behavior is costing you your slim facial appearance that you want so much.

If the size and shape of your face concerns you enough to take action’ you will need to be fully receptive and committed towards your bulimia treatment and bulimia recovery. There are no halfway compromises about stopping your face swelling and keeping your eating disorder alive. Decision to sacrifice the benefits of bulimia is necessary, as even on the rare occasion of bingeing and purging the round and fuller face will come back in matter of minutes!

The good news is that you can decide to get help for your bulimia and gradually stop this very damaging behavior all together, whilst gaining self confidence, great body image and a beautiful face that you can be happy seeing in the mirror.

To learn more about support for eating disorders and how to stop binging & purging, go and read about the different bulimia treatments.