New Delhi, June 23 -- The 30-year-old woman was surprised to discover a giant hairball taking up a large part of her stomach, leading to constant stomach pain and loss of appetite, doctors at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad said.

Since February, Shashi had suffered from abdominal pain, poor appetite, nausea and an uncomfortable feeling of fullness even after small meals. Over the months her condition deteriorated and she moved from one health centre to another in search of treatment. But no cause was ever found and she kept on deteriorating.

When she presented to Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, a detailed clinical examination unearthed the unexpected culprit behind her symptoms - a large trichobezoar (a compact mass of ingested hair) that had be...