A psychiatrist may diagnose an individual suffering from bulimia nervosa on the basis of symptoms s/he may be presenting. Individuals with bulimia tend to have bingeing episodes. Even when they are not bingeing, they may use laxatives, diet pills and emetics to purge what they have eaten. They may indulge in compulsive exercise and induce self vomiting by going to the bathroom just after they have finished their meals. A patient displaying these symptoms may be diagnosed with bulimia.

A dental exam is crucial for determining whether a patient has bulimia or not. This exam may be invasive and it assess the cavities and gum infections like gingivitis that an individual may have. If the individual engages in vomiting, then chances are that the enamel of their teeth would be worn out or pitted way. This happens due to over exposure to acid in vomit.

A physical examination of face and mouth may help the clinician know whether there are any broken blood vessels in the eyes caused from the strain of vomiting. A proper examination of mouth will help assess conditions like dry mouth or rashes and pimples caused due to excessive purging. The patient might have small cuts across the top of her/his finger joints because s/he forces her/himself to vomit.

This test is used to measure the electrolyte balance of the patient’s body. This test helps to assess whether the person has conditions like hypokalemia or dehydration. Hypokalemia is a condition wherein the potassium count in the blood is lower than normal.

One of the best ways to identify bulimia is to observe the individual. The clinician and patient’s family may observe her/his behavior and acts. They may also observe the individual’s eating habits and may keep a check on what medicines or laxatives s/he may be using. This can help determine bulimia.

This test is used to assess the presence of bulimia nervosa of other eating disorders in females. Developed by Probst and his associates in 1995, this test is a self-reporting measure wherein a female is asked to answer several questions that indicate her attitudes towards her body. A female with bulimia may express negative attitude towards her body type and body size. This test requires a single visit to the clinician.

This is a special psychological interviewing technique in which the clinician assess an individual on four sub scales including restraint, eating concern, weight concern and shape concern. The interview is conducted over a period of 28 days in which the clinician assesses the patient and understands whether s/he has another psychological illness like depression that may be accompanying the disorder.

This process includes several non-invasive neuroimaging procedures, such as MRI Scan, that may help to locate any possible lesions, tumors or medical conditions in the brain that might be a cause of triggering factor behind bulimia nervosa.

Blood tests are invasive procedures that judge the individual’s blood count to understand whether s/he is suffering from bulimia nervosa and is purging all the food. Urine test will help determine levels of different minerals in the body which can help a clinician ascertain whether an individual has bulimia nervosa.