Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Mallory-Weiss syndrome) that could possibly cause Mallory-Weiss syndrome includes:
More causes: see full list of causes for Mallory Weiss syndrome
Other conditions that might have Mallory-Weiss syndrome as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Mallory-Weiss syndrome. Our database lists the following as having Mallory-Weiss syndrome as a complication of that condition:
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Mallory-Weiss syndrome may be found in:
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Forceful or prolonged vomiting can cause esophageal tearing when the upper esophageal sphincter fails to relax during vomiting; this lack of sphincter coordination seems more common after excessive alcohol intake. Other factors that can increase intra-abdominal pressure and predispose a person to this type of tear include coughing, straining during bowel movements, traumatic injury, seizures, childbirth, hiatal hernia, esophagitis, gastritis, and atrophic gastric mucosa.
Mallory-Weiss syndrome accounts for 1% to 15% of all cases of upper GI bleeding. It’s two to four times more common in men than in women. There’s no racial predilection. Patients usually present with symptoms during their 40s and 50s, but it can affect people of all ages.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Increased tearing and exposure keratitis—corneal inflammation with incomplete lid closure—are common signs of this disorder. Examination also reveals ectropion; a small, expressionless face with deep-set eyes and pursed lips; and a high-arched palate.
Increased tearing may accompany localized conjunctival injection, severe eye pain, and photophobia. A foreign-body sensation may be present.
Typically, increased tearing is accompanied by conjunctival injection and itching in this disorder. Allergic conjunctivitis also causes a stringy discharge. Bacterial conjunctivitis also causes a copious purulent discharge, burning, a foreign-body sensation and, possibly, eye pain if the cornea is involved. Associated signs of fungal conjunctivitis include lid edema, burning, and a copious thick, purulent discharge that may form sticky crusts on the lids. The patient complains of photophobia and pain if the cornea is involved. Highly contagious viral conjunctivitis also causes a foreign-body sensation, slight exudate, and lid edema.
Marked by severe corneal pain that’s aggravated by blinking, this injury also causes increased tearing. Associated features are a foreign-body sensation, blurred vision, conjunctival injection, and photophobia, which makes opening the lids difficult.
When a foreign body lodges in the cornea, the patient experiences increased tearing, blurred vision, a foreign-body sensation, photophobia, eye pain, miosis, and conjunctival injection. A dark speck may also be visible in the cornea.
In this vision-threatening disorder, increased tearing is accompanied by severe photophobia and eye pain. Typically, the disorder begins with pain that’s aggravated by blinking. Ulcers also cause blurred vision, conjunctival injection, and a white opaque cornea. Bacterial ulcers also produce a copious purulent discharge that may form sticky crusts on the lids.
Increased tearing and a purulent discharge are the chief complaints in this disorder, which usually affects only one eye. Associated signs and symptoms include pain and tenderness around the tear sac with marked eyelid edema and redness near the lacrimal punctum. Pressure on the tear sac expresses a thick, purulent discharge or, in chronic cases, a mucoid discharge.
Excessive dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva can cause reflex stimulation of the lacrimal gland and excess tearing.
Commonly unilateral, this disorder causes increased tearing, photophobia, and—if the sclera is inflamed—eye pain and tenderness on palpation. Inspection reveals conjunctival injection and edema, a purplish pink sclera, and episcleral edema.
In this disorder, increased tearing usually results from stricture of the canaliculi. Because eyelid contractions are caused by burns or chemical or mechanical trauma, eyelid scars are also commonly visible.
Increased tearing usually occurs when herpes zoster affects the trigeminal nerve. It’s accompanied by severe unilateral facial and eye pain that’s followed in several days by the eruption of vesicles. The patient’s eyelids are red and swollen with scanty serous discharge. Other common findings include a white, cloudy cornea and conjunctival injection.
When these psoriatic lesions affect the eyelids and extend into the conjunctivae, they may cause irritation, increased tearing, and a foreign-body sensation. The lesions are typically preceded by signs of chronic conjunctivitis, such as a copious mucoid discharge and conjunctival injection.
Increased tearing is characteristic when ectropion involves the punctum, causing misplacement. It may be accompanied by exposure keratitis.
This syndrome is characterized by periodic attacks of unilateral paroxysmal neuralgic pain in the face lasting 5 minutes or longer. The patient may exhibit increased tearing, ptosis, diplopia, enophthalmos, abnormal pupillary response, ipsilateral headache, and anhidrosis of the face and neck.
This rare chronic disorder causes increased tearing, photophobia, and severe eye pain with tenderness on palpation. Examination reveals conjunctival injection and a bluish purple sclera.
This disorder may cause increased tearing, usually in both eyes. Other ocular effects include ptosis, lid edema, photophobia, a foreign-body sensation, conjunctival injection, chemosis, diplopia and, at times, exophthalmos. Common associated features are heat intolerance, weight loss despite increased appetite, nervousness, diaphoresis, diarrhea, tremors, tachycardia, palpitations, and an enlarged thyroid gland.
An early sign of trachoma, increased tearing is accompanied by visible conjunctival follicles, red and edematous eyelids, pain, photophobia, and exudation. If the infection is untreated, conjunctival follicles enlarge into inflamed papillae that later become yellow or gray and small blood vessels invade the cornea under the upper lid.
Miotics, such as pilocarpine, may increase tearing.
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Increased tearing may accompany localized conjunctival injection, severe eye pain, and photophobia. A foreign-body sensation may be present. Typically, visual acuity isn’t affected.
Typically, increased tearing is accompanied by conjunctival injection and itching. Allergic conjunctivitis also causes a stringy discharge. With bacterial conjunctivitis, other features include copious, purulent discharge; burning; a foreign-body sensation; and possibly eye pain if the cornea is involved. Associated signs of fungal conjunctivitis include lid edema, burning, and a copious, thick, purulent discharge that may form sticky crusts on the lids. The patient complains of photophobia and pain if the cornea is involved. Highly contagious viral conjunctivitis also causes a foreign-body sensation, slight exudate, and lid edema.
Marked by severe corneal pain that’s aggravated by blinking, a corneal abrasion also causes increased tearing. Associated features are a foreign-body sensation, blurred vision, conjunctival injection, and photophobia, which makes opening the lids difficult.
When a foreign body lodges in the cornea, the patient experiences increased tearing, blurred vision, a foreign-body sensation, photophobia, eye pain, miosis, and conjunctival injection. A dark speck may also be visible in the cornea.
With corneal ulcers, a vision-threatening disorder, increased tearing is accompanied by severe photophobia and eye pain. Typically, an early symptom of a corneal ulcer is pain that’s aggravated by blinking. Ulcers also cause blurred vision, conjunctival injection, and a white, opaque cornea. Bacterial ulcers also produce a copious, purulent discharge that may form sticky crusts on the lids.
Increased tearing and a purulent discharge are the chief complaints with dacryocystitis, which is commonly unilateral. Associated signs and symptoms include pain and tenderness around the tear sac with marked eyelid edema and redness near the lacrimal punctum. Pressure on the tear sac expresses a thick, purulent discharge or, in chronic cases, a mucoid discharge.
Excessive dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva can cause reflex stimulation of the lacrimal gland and excess tearing. Other signs and symptoms include eye pain, conjunctival injection, and itching.
Commonly unilateral, episcleritis causes increased tearing, photophobia, and — if the sclera is inflamed — eye pain and tenderness on palpation. Inspection reveals conjunctival injection and edema, a purplish pink sclera, and episcleral edema.
Increased tearing usually occurs when herpes zoster affects the trigeminal nerve. It’s accompanied by severe unilateral facial and eye pain that’s followed by the eruption of vesicles within several days. The patient’s eyelids are red and swollen with scanty serous discharge. Other common findings include a white, cloudy cornea and conjunctival injection.
With lid contractions, increased tearing usually results from stricture of the canaliculi. Because lid contractions are caused by burns or chemical or mechanical trauma, lid scars are also commonly visible.
When psoriasis vulgaris lesions affect the eyelids and extend into the conjunctiva, they may cause irritation, increased tearing, and a foreign-body sensation. The lesions are typically preceded by signs of chronic conjunctivitis, such as copious mucoid discharge and conjunctival injection.
Increased tearing is characteristic when ectropion involves the punctum, causing misplacement. It may be accompanied by exposure keratitis.
Thyrotoxicosis may cause increased tearing, usually in both eyes. Other ocular effects include ptosis, lid edema, photophobia, a foreign-body sensation, conjunctival injection, chemosis, diplopia and, at times, exophthalmos. Common associated features are heat intolerance, weight loss despite increased appetite, nervousness, sweating, diarrhea, tremors, tachycardia, palpitations, and an enlarged thyroid.
Miotics, such as pilocarpine, may increase tearing.
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
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