How is acute pancreatitis treated in hospitals. What are the main treatment approaches for chronic pancreatitis. How do doctors manage severe cases of pancreatitis. What complications can arise from pancreatitis and how are they addressed. Which dietary changes can help alleviate pancreatitis symptoms. What causes pancreatitis and how can it be prevented. Why is alcohol abstinence important for pancreatitis patients.

Understanding Pancreatitis: Types, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the pancreas, a vital gland located behind the stomach near the small intestine. This condition can manifest in various forms, each requiring specific treatment approaches. The two main types of pancreatitis are acute and chronic, with severe cases presenting additional challenges.

Common symptoms of pancreatitis include:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Rapid pulse

Diagnosing pancreatitis involves a combination of blood tests and imaging studies. Blood tests can reveal elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes, while imaging techniques such as CT scans or ultrasounds help visualize the extent of pancreatic inflammation.

Acute Pancreatitis Treatment: Hospital Care and Management

Acute pancreatitis often requires hospitalization, especially in moderate to severe cases. The duration of hospital stays typically ranges from a few days to a week, depending on the severity of the condition.

Initial Treatment Steps

The primary focus of acute pancreatitis treatment is addressing fluid loss and managing symptoms. Key steps include:

1. Intravenous (IV) hydration therapy
2. Pain management
3. Fasting to rest the pancreas
4. Gradual reintroduction of oral nutrition

How effective is aggressive hydration in treating acute pancreatitis? Research indicates that aggressive IV fluid administration within the first 12-24 hours of symptom onset can significantly reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis progressing to severe pancreatitis. The American College of Gastroenterology recommends administering 250-500 milliliters of fluid per hour during this critical period.

Pain Management in Acute Pancreatitis

While there is no specific medication to halt the inflammatory process in the pancreas, pain management is crucial. Doctors often prescribe opioid medications such as morphine or fentanyl to alleviate severe pain associated with acute pancreatitis.

Chronic Pancreatitis: Long-Term Management Strategies

Chronic pancreatitis presents unique challenges due to its ongoing nature. While there is no cure, effective management can significantly improve quality of life for patients.

Lifestyle Modifications

What is the most important lifestyle change for chronic pancreatitis patients? Abstinence from alcohol is crucial, as alcohol consumption is a leading cause of chronic pancreatitis. Patients are strongly advised to completely avoid alcoholic beverages to prevent further pancreatic damage and alleviate symptoms.

Medications for Chronic Pancreatitis

Several medications can help manage chronic pancreatitis symptoms:

• Pain relievers (both over-the-counter and prescription)
• Pancreatic enzyme supplements
• Vitamins and nutritional supplements

Why are pancreatic enzyme supplements often prescribed in chronic pancreatitis? These supplements help address malabsorption issues common in chronic pancreatitis patients. They assist in proper digestion and absorption of nutrients, improving overall nutritional status.

Surgical Interventions

In some cases, surgical procedures may be recommended to alleviate chronic pain or address complications. These may include:

• Pancreatic duct decompression
• Partial pancreatectomy
• Autologous islet cell transplantation

Autologous islet cell transplantation is a promising procedure for severe cases where other treatments have failed. It involves removing the entire pancreas and transplanting insulin-producing cells into the liver, potentially preserving some pancreatic function.

Managing Severe Pancreatitis: Intensive Care Approaches

Severe pancreatitis, characterized by multiple organ failure lasting beyond 48 hours, affects approximately 20% of pancreatitis cases. These patients require intensive care and prolonged hospitalization.

Fluid Resuscitation and Organ Support

Aggressive fluid resuscitation is crucial in severe pancreatitis to address hypovolemia, a condition where blood volume is significantly reduced. This approach helps maintain organ perfusion and prevent further complications.

Nutritional Support

How is nutrition managed in severe pancreatitis cases? Patients often require nasogastric feeding, where a tube is inserted through the nose to deliver nutrients directly to the stomach. This method allows for adequate nutritional support while minimizing pancreatic stimulation.

Treating Pancreatic Necrosis

A common complication in severe pancreatitis is pancreatic necrosis, where portions of the pancreas die due to inflammation. Treatment may involve:

• Antibiotic therapy for infected necrosis
• Surgical debridement of necrotic tissue
• Minimally invasive techniques for draining infected collections

Complications of Pancreatitis: Recognition and Treatment

Pancreatitis can lead to various complications, each requiring specific management strategies.

Extra-Pancreatic Infections

Up to one-third of pancreatitis patients develop infections outside the pancreas. These infections are typically treated with targeted antibiotic therapy based on culture results.

Pseudocysts

Pancreatic pseudocysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop as a complication of pancreatitis. Treatment options include:

• Watchful waiting for small, asymptomatic pseudocysts
• Endoscopic drainage for larger or symptomatic pseudocysts
• Surgical intervention in complex cases

Pancreatic Insufficiency

Chronic pancreatitis can lead to pancreatic insufficiency, where the pancreas fails to produce enough digestive enzymes. This condition is managed through lifelong enzyme replacement therapy and dietary modifications.

Dietary Considerations in Pancreatitis Management

Diet plays a crucial role in managing pancreatitis and preventing recurrences. Patients are typically advised to follow a low-fat, nutrient-dense diet to minimize pancreatic stimulation and support overall health.

Recommended Foods

A pancreatitis-friendly diet often includes:

• Lean proteins (chicken, fish, tofu)
• Whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables
• Low-fat dairy products

Foods to Avoid

Patients are generally advised to limit or avoid:

• Fried foods
• High-fat meats
• Full-fat dairy products
• Alcohol
• Sugary foods and beverages

How does a low-fat diet benefit pancreatitis patients? A low-fat diet reduces the workload on the pancreas, minimizing pancreatic enzyme production and potentially alleviating symptoms. It also helps in maintaining a healthy weight, which is important for overall pancreatic health.

Preventive Measures and Lifestyle Modifications for Pancreatitis

While not all cases of pancreatitis can be prevented, certain lifestyle modifications can significantly reduce the risk of developing or exacerbating the condition.

Alcohol Moderation

Given the strong link between alcohol consumption and pancreatitis, limiting or avoiding alcohol is a key preventive measure. For those with a history of pancreatitis, complete abstinence is often recommended.

Smoking Cessation

Smoking is a known risk factor for pancreatitis. Quitting smoking can help reduce the risk of developing pancreatitis and improve overall health outcomes for those with existing pancreatic conditions.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can help reduce this risk.

Regular Health Check-ups

Regular medical check-ups can help in early detection and management of conditions that may increase the risk of pancreatitis, such as gallstones or high triglyceride levels.

Emerging Treatments and Research in Pancreatitis Care

The field of pancreatitis treatment is continually evolving, with ongoing research exploring new therapeutic approaches and refining existing treatments.

Targeted Therapies

Researchers are investigating targeted therapies that could potentially interrupt the inflammatory cascade in pancreatitis, offering more specific treatment options with fewer side effects.

Regenerative Medicine

Stem cell therapy and other regenerative medicine approaches are being studied for their potential in repairing pancreatic tissue damage and improving pancreatic function in chronic pancreatitis patients.

Improved Imaging Techniques

Advancements in imaging technologies are enhancing the ability to diagnose and monitor pancreatitis more accurately, potentially leading to earlier interventions and better outcomes.

How might these emerging treatments change the landscape of pancreatitis care? While still in various stages of research and development, these innovative approaches hold promise for more effective, targeted treatments that could significantly improve quality of life for pancreatitis patients and potentially even reverse some of the damage caused by chronic inflammation.

As research progresses, it’s crucial for patients and healthcare providers to stay informed about new developments in pancreatitis treatment. While current management strategies have greatly improved outcomes for many patients, the potential for more effective and less invasive treatments on the horizon offers hope for even better care in the future.

Pancreatitis Treatment for Acute, Chronic, and Severe Cases

In pancreatitis, the pancreas — a gland located behind the stomach and near the first part of the small intestine — becomes inflamed. There are varying severities of the condition, but abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are among the most common symptoms of both acute and chronic pancreatitis.

How Is Acute Pancreatitis Treated?

Cases of moderate and severe acute pancreatitis are treated in the hospital. Visits should only last a few days. Doctors will administer blood and imaging tests to diagnose you, and then begin care.

Because of the loss of fluids from vomiting and decreased food intake, the initial treatment for pancreatitis is hydration using intravenous (IV) therapy with one of several different kinds of solutions.

Most often, patients will receive what’s called “aggressive hydration,” which may consist of 250 to 500 milliliters of fluid administered every hour. (1)

Research suggests that administering fluids through IV in the first few hours of onset can help prevent acute pancreatitis from turning into severe pancreatitis. (2)

Aggressive intravenous therapy appears to be most beneficial during the first 12 to 24 hours of treatment, according to the American College of Gastroenterology, but may not help much after this. (3)

After a few days, you may be allowed to begin eating solid, bland foods. But if eating causes too much pain, you may be given nutrients through a feeding tube that’s inserted through your nose and reaches down to your stomach.

There is no medication to stop the chemical chain reaction in the pancreas that’s causing the pain. But drugs are sometimes prescribed to help alleviate that pain. Doctors may use opioids, such as morphine and fentanyl.

Once the pain has subsided and your fluids and other vital signs have stabilized, you will be allowed to go home.

How Is Chronic Pancreatitis Treated?

There is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, but the related pain and symptoms may be managed or even prevented. Since chronic pancreatitis is most often caused by drinking, abstinence from alcohol is often one way to ease the pain.

The following drugs are prescribed for pain relief:

Chronic pancreatitis typically results in malabsorption, the body’s inability to process important nutrients. So your doctor may prescribe vitamins and medication that may help in digestion.

Surgery may help relieve the chronic pain of this condition, but not always.

Doctors aren’t sure why the pain in chronic pancreatitis is so severe. More recent theories posit that the inflamed nerves of the pancreas stimulate the pain signaling system of the spine in a way that increases sensitivity to and frequency of pain. (4)

It’s long been thought that an inflamed head of the pancreas or a blocked pancreatic duct causes the pain. In cases where doctors believe that to be the problem, surgery will be performed to remove the head of the pancreas. If a blocked pancreatic duct is suspected to be the issue, endoscopic treatments to remove the blockages will be performed.

There is also a surgery performed on those whose pain will not respond to treatment.  During this procedure, known as autologous islet cell transplantation, the entire pancreas is removed and the insulin-making cells of the pancreas are reinserted into the liver with a catheter.

When the transplant is successful, it allows patients to make insulin without the pancreas.

RELATED: What Is Insulin? Everything to Know if You Have Diabetes

How Is Severe Pancreatitis Treated?

About 20 percent of pancreatitis cases are severe, meaning they result in multiple organ failure that doesn’t naturally subside within 48 hours. (3)

People with severe pancreatitis may need to be transferred to an intensive care unit for an extended treatment, which could last more than a week.

Due to vomiting, sweating, and reduced consumption of food and liquids, severe pancreatitis frequently causes hypovolemia — a decreased volume of blood circulating in the body.

One of the most common complications of severe pancreatitis is an infection of necrotic tissue in the pancreas, or tissue that has died due to a lack of blood supply. These infections are treated with antibiotics. The dead or damaged tissue may need to be removed surgically.

While some research suggested there may be benefits, the consensus among experts is that probiotics do not appear to reduce the risk of infectious complications in severe pancreatitis. (5)

People with severe pancreatitis may require several weeks of nasogastric feeding, in which a feeding tube carries food to the stomach through the nose.

How Are Pancreatitis Complications Treated?

Antibiotics may also be necessary if an extra-pancreatic (outside of the pancreas) infection has developed.

Up to one-third of people with pancreatitis develop an extra-pancreatic infection, according to a report published in 2014 in the journal Pancreatology. (6) Extra-pancreatic infections can range from urinary tract infections to pneumonia.

Gallstones are the number one cause of pancreatitis. For the majority of these cases, the gallstones are small and don’t remain in the bile duct or pancreatic duct for long.

But sometimes the obstruction doesn’t go away without treatment, and doctors need to remove it using a procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

If gallstones are found in the gallbladder, the gallbladder may need to be removed via surgery to prevent the recurrence of pancreatitis after treatment.

How Do You Manage Pancreatitis at Home?

In addition to hospital treatment, the following lifestyle changes are recommended to help aid recovery and possibly prevent pancreatitis:

• Drink plenty of water
• Stop or reduce alcohol consumption
• Stop smoking, because the habit increases your risk of pancreatitis
• Refrain from eating foods high in fat

What Is a Pancreatic Diet?

There is no one specific pancreatic diet that can treat chronic pancreatitis.

But there are some general rules for nutrition if you have the condition. It’s extremely important to avoid alcohol, for example, as well as high-fat foods, because they will tax an already overworked pancreas.

The National Institutes of Health says that pancreatitis patients should consume no more than 30 grams of fat a day. (7)

RELATED: The Best and Worst Ways to Quit Smoking

Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer.

How to Lower Your Risk of Future Pancreatitis Attacks – Cleveland Clinic

Have you ever gotten severe, sharp stomach pain caused by your pancreatitis? Or has it felt more like a constant, dull discomfort? 

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Either way, you need to address it by working closely with your doctor and by making important lifestyle changes.

“Early and aggressive treatment of pancreatitis can improve outcomes, prompt an early recovery and limit complications,” says pancreatic specialist Prabhleen Chahal, MD.

What causes pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas — the long organ that sits behind the stomach and next to the small intestine — gets inflamed. The pancreas aids in digestion and helps regulate your hormones for sugar and metabolism.

“Pancreatitis has two forms: acute and chronic,” says Dr. Chahal. “Problems start happening when the pancreas releases digestive enzymes too soon and they attack the pancreas itself instead of breaking down the food you eat.”

If you have an acute case, your symptoms may range from mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening. Mild attacks typically last a few days.

Moderate to severe attack of pancreatitis may cause:

• Multi-organ (kidney, lungs or heart) failure.
• Bleeding/clot formation in blood vessels.
• Destruction of pancreas (necrosis).
• Infection.
• Formation of inflammatory fluid collection (pseudocyst).
• Malnutrition.
• Sepsis.
• Slowed down gastrointestinal system.

Chronic pancreatitis, however, is a result of progressive, long-lasting inflammation. It can develop after you have an acute attack and over time, symptoms may include:

• Upper abdominal pain and bloating.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Malabsorptive diarrhea.
• Weight loss (because your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly).
• Diabetes.
• Deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K.

How to stop future attacks

Stopping future pancreatitis attacks are possible. To start on a healthy journey, it’s important to make some behavioral and lifestyle changes.

“The disease of the pancreas has significant impact on your quality of life,” she says. “Successful management will involve multi-specialist care, including behavioral and lifestyle modification.”

If you keep having pancreatitis flare-ups, it can eventually lead to pancreatic scarring, so it’s crucial to make these needed changes. Do what you can to lower these risk factors:

• Gallstones. If you are diagnosed with gallstones and have suffered an attack of pancreatitis, removing the gallbladder can help prevent future problems.
• Heavy drinking. Excessive alcohol intake causes up to 70% of chronic pancreatitis cases, and nearly half of acute pancreatitis, so it makes sense to stop drinking alcohol.
• Smoking. It can make your outcomes worse, make the disease (chronic pancreatitis) progress faster and increase your risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Poor diet. Avoid high-fat foods, especially fried foods that can put a load on your digestive system. Instead, focus on eating a low-fat, high-protein diet that is rich in vitamins and nutrients. Patients with chronic pancreatitis often benefit from the institution of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil in their diet. You may also consider taking artificial digestive enzymes, which help your body break down food and absorb nutrients and vitamins. Consult with your doctor about if artificial digestive enzymes would be a good idea to take.

Dealing with the pain

If your pancreatitis is causing you mild to moderate pain, over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen taken over the short term may help.

“For pain that is constant and severe, consider a consultation with a pain management doctor who often prescribe medications called neuro pain modulators,” says Dr. Chahal. “A specialized procedure called celiac plexus block is also offered to patients for managing chronic pain related to chronic pancreatitis.”

If you’ve had an acute attack, avoid it coming back by starting with medication and behavioral changes. In some cases, further endoscopic procedures like an endoscopic utrasound (ERCP) or surgery is necessary.

If you have stones in your pancreas, your doctor may use shock waves to break up the stones that are creating blockages. 

“This may help with the pain and recurrent pancreas flare-ups,” she says. “Surgeons can remove diseased or inflamed areas of the pancreas or the entire pancreas, if necessary.

Ultimately, managing the condition often requires both medical, endoscopic, surgical and personal changes.

How is acute pancreatitis treated? – InformedHealth.

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Acute pancreatitis usually clears up within one to two weeks. Solid foods are generally avoided for a while in order to reduce the strain on the pancreas. Supportive measures like an infusion (IV drip) to provide fluids and painkillers can help to relieve symptoms and prevent complications.

The main signs of acute pancreatitis are sudden and severe pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting. It is usually caused by gallstones blocking the opening of the pancreas or by drinking too much alcohol.

In 80% of people with acute pancreatitis, the inflammation either clears up completely or improves a lot within one to two weeks. But it sometimes leads to serious complications, so it’s usually treated in a hospital.

What is the most important first step in treating pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis causes the body to lose a lot of fluids quickly, which leads to a loss of important minerals too. Nausea and vomiting also make it difficult to get enough fluids. Dehydration can cause complications such as low blood pressure or even circulatory failure. To prevent this from happening, the patient is put on a drip that supplies them with fluids and electrolytes.

Relieving the pain

Acute pancreatitis is usually very painful. There are a number of medications to relieve the pain. Strong painkillers (opioids) are often needed. Painkillers are also usually given through a drip or catheter (epidural).

Sometimes it’s possible to adjust the dose of the painkiller on your own. This is called “patient-controlled analgesia” or PCA. You use a pump to control how much of the medicine is delivered. There are checks in place to prevent overdosing.

In the past, opioids such as morphine were used cautiously because it was feared that they would make it even harder for the digestive juices to flow out of the pancreas. But research has not found this to be true. There are currently no known reasons for not treating acute pancreatitis pain with opioids.

Weaker painkillers like acetaminophen (paracetamol) or an NSAID like ibuprofen can be used once the pain starts to subside.

When can you start eating again?

Patients are no longer advised to stop eating completely. Research has shown that many people can start eating a little again as soon as their symptoms improve and they feel hungry. This is even true for people who have a higher risk of complications.

It is often possible to start eating solid foods after one to two days, but doctors recommend starting off with food that can be easily digested and is low in fat. Still, if someone feels nauseous, needs to vomit or has complications such as bowel obstruction, it’s best for them to wait before eating solid foods again.

When is it necessary to use a feeding tube?

If it’s not possible to start eating again within a few days, a feeding tube can be used to supply important nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in a specially prepared liquid food. Feeding tubes are inserted through the nose and gently pushed down through the food pipe to the stomach or small intestine.

In rare cases, parenteral nutrition may also be necessary. It delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream using a drip. This may be done if, for instance, someone can’t eat at all because digestion causes immediate pain. Whenever possible, a feeding tube is used instead of a drip. This is because many studies have shown that giving parenteral nutrition through a drip is associated with more infections and complications, and even with more deaths.

Can antibiotics or other medications prevent complications?

Acute pancreatitis can lead to infections. These can affect the pancreas itself or other organs, such as the lungs or the bile ducts. The infections are treated with antibiotics.

It would be better to prevent them in the first place, though. Antibiotics were often used as a preventive measure in the past, particularly if some of the pancreas tissue had died (necrotizing pancreatitis). This was done to keep the dead tissue from becoming infected and causing a condition called infected pancreatic necrosis. But studies have not clearly shown that taking antibiotics as a precaution can prevent complications. Because the use of antibiotics also leads to side effects and increases the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance, experts no longer recommend routinely using antibiotics as a precaution.

Several studies looked into whether the use of prebiotics or probiotics can prevent complications or influence how severe a case of pancreatitis becomes. These substances are believed to promote the growth of harmless lactic acid bacteria, lowering the risk of infections. But research hasn’t found this to be true.

How are gallstones treated?

If acute pancreatitis is caused by gallstones, the stones can be removed using endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). This involves gently pushing an endoscope through your food pipe, your stomach, and the first part of the small intestine, to the opening of the bile duct. A contrast medium is then injected into the bile duct to make any stones that are there show up in an x-ray image. With the help of a small basket-like wire instrument at the end of the endoscope, these stones can also be removed during the procedure.

If the pancreatitis was caused by gallstones, the gallbladder is usually removed at a later time. This lowers the risk of more gallstones forming and the pancreas becoming inflamed again. About 20 out of 100 people who don’t have their gallbladder removed have another pancreas inflammation within a few months. If there are no complications, the gallbladder can be removed within a few days of hospitalization. The sooner it is removed, the earlier you can leave the hospital. According to research, there are no drawbacks to removing the gallbladder early on in uncomplicated cases of pancreatitis. In severe cases or if there are complications, it’s better to wait until the patient has had time to recover. Otherwise the risk of complications during the procedure is too high.

Severe cases of pancreatitis

In about 15 to 20 out of 100 cases, acute pancreatitis leads to complications affecting the pancreas or other organs. Pseudocysts (fluid-filled cyst-like blisters in the pancreas) are a common complication. If they are small and don’t cause any symptoms, they don’t need to be treated. Larger pseudocysts may rip open and bleed or become infected and form an abscess. To stop this from happening, the cyst can be punctured and drained from the outside using a hollow needle. In some cases, surgery is needed.

If it’s not infected, dead tissue doesn’t always need to be treated. Infected dead tissue has to be treated with antibiotics, though. It may also be necessary to remove the dead tissue. Various procedures are used, depending on what part of the pancreas is affected. If the dead tissue isn’t causing any acute problems, it’s best to wait for about four weeks before removing it so that the patient can recover from the illness first. By then the dead tissue will also have hardened, making it easier to tell it apart from healthy tissue and remove it.

Very severe cases of pancreatitis can lead to an inflammation throughout the entire body, known as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). SIRS can cause single or multiple organ failure and has to be treated in an intensive care unit. There, doctors and nurses try to keep the organs functioning until the inflammation has passed.

What happens after recovery?

If a specific cause of acute pancreatitis was found, such as gallstones or a (rare) metabolic disorder, that cause is treated. Otherwise, no other treatments are needed following a case of uncomplicated acute pancreatitis. If the pancreatitis was alcohol-related, people are advised to drink a lot less alcohol afterwards. Some experts recommend not drinking any alcohol at all for 6 to 12 months after each episode of pancreatitis. But there has been no research into whether avoiding alcohol can help prevent new cases of pancreatitis if the cause isn’t alcohol-related.

People who had a severe case of acute pancreatitis with complications may need further treatment after leaving the hospital. Extreme weight loss is common during acute pancreatitis. It can sometimes take several weeks for your appetite to return and to put the weight back on. Advice from a nutritionist can help during this time. In some people, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough digestive juices (for a while) after the pancreatitis has cleared up. If that happens, artificial pancreatic enzymes can be taken with meals to help the body absorb food fats. People who have had acute pancreatitis are also more likely to develop diabetes, which then needs to be treated.

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Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatments, Tests

What Is Pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is a disease in which your pancreas becomes inflamed.

The pancreas is a large gland behind your stomach and next to your small intestine. Your pancreas does two main things:

• It releases powerful digestive enzymes into your small intestine to help you digest food.
• It releases insulin and glucagon into your bloodstream. These hormones help your body control how it uses food for energy.

Your pancreas can be damaged when digestive enzymes begin working before your pancreas releases them.

What Are the Types of Pancreatitis?

The two forms of pancreatitis are acute and chronic.

• Acute pancreatitis is sudden inflammation that lasts a short time. It can range from mild discomfort to a severe, life-threatening illness. Most people with acute pancreatitis recover completely after getting the right treatment. In severe cases, acute pancreatitis can cause bleeding, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Severe pancreatitis can also harm other vital organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
• Chronic pancreatitis is long-lasting inflammation. It most often happens after an episode of acute pancreatitis. Another top cause is drinking lots of alcohol for a long period of time. Damage to your pancreas from heavy alcohol use may not cause symptoms for many years, but then you may suddenly have severe pancreatitis symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms of Pancreatitis?

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis

The symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are similar to those of acute pancreatitis. But you may also have:

• Constant pain in your upper belly that radiates to your back. This pain may be disabling.
• Diarrhea and weight loss because your pancreas isn’t releasing enough enzymes to break down food
• Upset stomach and vomiting

What Are the Pancreatitis Causes and Risk Factors?

Acute pancreatitis causes include:

In up to 15% of people with acute pancreatitis, the cause is unknown.

Chronic pancreatitis causes include:

In about 20% to 30% of cases, the cause of chronic pancreatitis is unknown. People with chronic pancreatitis are usually men between ages 30 and 40.

Can Pancreatitis Cause Complications?

Pancreatitis can have severe complications, including:

• Diabetes if there’s damage to the cells that produce insulin
• Infection of your pancreas
• Kidney failure
• Malnutrition if your body can’t get enough nutrients from the food you eat because of a lack of digestive enzymes
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pancreatic necrosis, when tissues die because your pancreas isn’t getting enough blood
• Problems with your breathing when chemical changes in your body affect your lungs
• Pseudocysts, when fluid collects in pockets on your pancreas. They can burst and become infected.

How Is Pancreatitis Diagnosed?

To check for acute pancreatitis, the doctor will probably press on your belly area to see if it is tender and check for low blood pressure, low fever, and rapid pulse.

To diagnose chronic pancreatitis, X-rays or imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI may show whether the pancreas is calcified. Your doctor will take blood samples and check your stool for excess fat, a sign that the pancreas is no longer making enough enzymes to process fat. You may be given a pancreatic function test to see how well the pancreas releases digestive enzymes. You may also be checked for diabetes.

To diagnose acute pancreatitis, your doctor tests your blood to measure two digestive enzymes: amylase and lipase. High levels of these two enzymes mean you probably have acute pancreatitis. They’ll also test your blood for white blood cells, blood sugar, calcium, and liver function.

Other tests can include:

• Pancreatic function test to find out whether your pancreas is making the right amounts of digestive enzymes
• Ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI, which make images of your pancreas to show the extent of inflammation, causes such as bile duct problems and gallstones, for complications like cysts.
• ERCP, in which your doctor uses a long tube with a camera on the end to look at your pancreatic and bile ducts
• Biopsy, in which your doctor uses a needle to remove a small piece of tissue from your pancreas to be studied

In some cases, your doctor may test your blood and poop to confirm the diagnosis. They may also do a glucose tolerance test to measure damage to the cells in your pancreas that make insulin.

How Is Pancreatitis Treated?

Treatment for acute pancreatitis

If you have an attack of acute pancreatitis, you may receive strong drugs for pain. You may have to have your stomach drained with a tube placed through your nose. If the attack is prolonged, you may be fed and hydrated intravenously (through a vein).

You’ll probably need to stay in the hospital, where your treatment may include:

• Antibiotics if your pancreas is infected
• Intravenous (IV) fluids, given through a needle
• Low-fat diet or fasting. You might need to stop eating so your pancreas can recover. In this case, you’ll get nutrition through a feeding tube.
• Pain medicine

If your case is more severe, your treatment might include:

• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure that involves the insertion of a tube down your throat into the stomach and upper intestines to take out gallstones if they’re blocking your bile or pancreatic ducts. A small cut is made to remove stones in the bile duct, or a plastic tube called a stent is inserted into the ducts to relieve the obstruction.
• Gallbladder surgery if gallstones caused your pancreatitis
• Pancreas surgery to clean out fluid or dead or diseased tissue

Treatment for chronic pancreatitis

If you have chronic pancreatitis, the doctor will focus on treating pain — guarding against possible addiction to prescription painkillers — and watching for complications that affect digestion. You may be placed on a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to restore the digestive tract’s ability to digest nutrients; this will also likely reduce the frequency of new attacks.

You might need:

• Insulin to treat diabetes
• Pain medicine
• Pancreatic enzymes to help your body get enough nutrients from your food
• Surgery or procedures to relieve pain, help with drainage, or treat blockages

Injection of anesthetics into the nerves near the spine may give pain relief. If the pain does not respond to medication or nerve blocks, the damaged pancreatic tissue may be surgically removed, but only as a last resort.

How Do You Prevent Pancreatitis?

Because many cases of pancreatitis are caused by alcohol abuse, prevention often focuses on limiting how much you drink or not drinking at all. If your drinking is a concern, talk to your doctor or health care professional about an alcohol treatment center. A support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous could also help.

Stop smoking, follow your doctor’s and dietitian’s advice about your diet, and take your medications so you’ll have fewer and milder attacks of pancreatitis.

Home remedies for pancreatitis treatment

– The healing mineral water made from genuine Karlovy Vary thermal spring salt is a natural mineral supplement used in Europe since 1764. Today, Karlovy Vary Healing Mineral Water (KVHMW) is still helping millions of people with various health problems and is used as a preventive remedy. By following the directions, individuals could make the spring water at home and receive the identical curative results as people who went to Karlovy Vary. European physicians prescribed Karlovy Vary mineral water for individuals dealing with a range of digestive disorders. Notice that genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt also significantly helps with significant pancreatic disorders, especially diabetes, and chronic pancreatitis. The latter is long-term inflammation of the pancreas and indicates damage to the pancreatic function.

– An alkaline, recovery diet, acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, healing mineral water, recovery of beneficial intestinal bacteria, abdominal manipulation, comfort, and medical hypnosis are valuable tools, used globally to heal indigestion and pain associated with chronic pancreatitis. Non-drug, non-surgery healing methods improve the quality of life and may delay the worsening of pancreatic disorders. Natural therapy approaches can be used successfully with traditional Western Medicine remedies.

Complementary & integrative medicine may offer various, evidence-based, scientific, time-proven healing methods such as:

– Eating an alkalized, recovery diet

– Having chiropractor manipulations and abdominal massage

– Taking nutritional supplements

– Drinking healing mineral water

– Using acupuncture

– Taking herbs

Participating in medical hypnosis, meditation, and relaxation techniques

The trick to success with your own pancreatic demands is to work with a knowledgeable licensed specialist or team of experts.

Home remedies you can try to relieve pancreatitis pain

Pancreatitis needs immediate medical attention. However, there are some natural remedies that you can try, along with your medical treatment, to ease the pain and discomfort.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : December 17, 2020 8:01 AM IST

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Pain Control for Pancreatic Cancer

Pain can be a major problem for people with pancreatic cancer. These cancers can invade and press on nerves near the pancreas, which can cause pain in the abdomen (belly) or back.

Treatment is available to help relieve this pain. If you are having any pain, please be sure to tell your doctor or nurse. Pain is easier to control if the treatment is started when you first have it. You and your doctor or nurse can talk about the best ways to treat your pain. A pain specialist can also help develop a treatment plan.

Some proven ways to relieve pain from pancreatic cancer include:

Pain medicines

For most patients, morphine or similar drugs (opioids) can help control the pain. Many people are worried about these drugs because they fear becoming addicted, but studies have shown that the risk of this is low if the patient takes the drug for pain as directed by the doctor.

Pain medicines work best when they are taken on a regular schedule. They do not work as well if they are only used when the pain becomes severe. Several long-acting forms of morphine and other opioids are in pill form and only need be taken once or twice a day. There is even a long-acting form of the drug fentanyl that is applied as a patch every 3 days.

Common side effects of these drugs are nausea and feeling sleepy, which often get better over time. Constipation is a common side effect that does not get better on its own, so it needs to be treated. Most people need to take stool softeners and/or laxatives daily.

Other treatments

Sometimes certain procedures might be needed to treat pain. For example, cutting or injecting alcohol into some of the nerves (that carry pain sensations) near the pancreas can often improve pain and may allow you to use lower doses of pain medicines. If you are having surgery for some reason (such as to remove the cancer or relieve bile duct blockage), this can usually be done as part of the same operation.

This can also be done as a separate procedure. The doctor might do a nerve block by injecting the nerves near the pancreas with either an anesthetic or a medicine that destroys the nerves.

This can be done with the help of an ultrasound or CT scan either by:

• passing a needle through the skin or
• by using an endoscope (a long, flexible tube that is passed down the throat and past the stomach) that guides a needle to the nerves.

Treating the cancer with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy can also sometimes relieve pain by shrinking the size of the cancer.

For more information on pain and what can be done about it, see Cancer Pain.

90,000 Pancreatitis: how to relieve an attack? Doctor’s advice

Chronic pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas that occurs with periods of exacerbation and remission. Exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis or acute pancreatitis can be caused by such factors as: stones in the gallbladder, which can cause poor outflow of pancreatic secretions, alcohol intake, consumption of excessively fatty foods, and often a combination of alcohol and fatty foods, allergies and direct toxic exposure to certain medications, abdominal trauma.

Whatever the reason for the exacerbation, the pathological process is based on the aggression of pancreatic juice on its own cells: that is, the organ begins to digest its own proteins instead of digesting food – more often this happens due to a violation of the outflow of juice and its stagnation in the gland.

An attack of pancreatitis is manifested by a severe pain syndrome, which can radiate (give) to the left half of the chest, to the left shoulder, left arm, to the back. The pain is usually encircling, like a thin belt squeezing the trunk.Other symptoms are vomiting that does not bring relief, diarrhea, general weakness, sweating, and fever.

The basic classical principles in the treatment of pancreatic attack are hunger, cold and rest. What does this mean? All measures should be aimed at creating functional rest – that is, so that pancreatic juice is not produced, and therefore does not show its aggressive effect on tissues.

Pancreatitis is a rather serious and dangerous disease that can have serious consequences, therefore, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, in a hospital.

But before contacting a doctor, you can use a few tips to relieve an attack.

So,

1. A heating pad should be placed on the pancreatic area (middle of the abdomen, slightly to the left and above the navel).
2. Stop taking all food – that is, complete hunger
3. You can take antispasmodic drugs – like no-shpa, mebeverin, but it is better to inject them intramuscularly.
4. Drink liquid, better regitration solutions, in small sips.
5. Taking painkillers for pain in the abdomen is categorically contraindicated until a diagnosis is made, since they can lubricate and mask the picture of the disease, while the inflammatory process is ongoing, and can be complicated by peritonitis and other formidable conditions.

HOW TO REDUCE PAIN IN PANCREATITIS

Pain in the pancreas is usually a symptom of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Associated with long-term unhealthy diet, alcohol abuse, strict diets or fasting.

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Pain with pancreatitis: symptoms and treatment

People with pancreatitis often experience pain syndromes.What to do in these cases and how you can relieve an attack at home while medical assistance is not available. We will find out about this in this article. An important internal organ in the human body is the pancreas, which assists in the absorption of food. It also releases many hormones and enzymes needed for digestion.

Inflammation in the pancreas causes an ailment like pancreatitis. In both cases, the inflammatory process of the pancreas is accompanied by acute pain.If there is no appropriate treatment and the patient violates the diet, damage to the necrotic tissue is observed, as a result of which, the person may die.

Moreover, the pain may ease a little if the patient is sitting, pulling his knees towards him. Even if the attack has passed, it is necessary to seek help from a doctor to avoid serious consequences.

Often questions arise which specialist should be consulted to recognize the signs of acute pancreatitis. If these symptoms occur, it is necessary to consult a therapist who, having studied the patient’s condition, will give a referral to a gastroenterologist.He will conduct research and prescribe medication and dietary therapy. If necessary, you will need to consult a surgeon and other specialists. What if there is severe pain in the pancreas?

How to remove an attack of pancreatitis at home? Anyone who has been diagnosed with this should know about this. It is not recommended to self-relieve an attack of pancreatitis at home. If severe pain occurs, an ambulance should be called.

In the hospital, the patient will be under the supervision of doctors and he will be provided with the necessary assistance. Indeed, surgical intervention is often required. But there are times when there are no medical workers nearby, then the patient should remove an attack of pancreatitis at home. In such situations, it is important to relieve pain and find out why gastric juice does not enter this organ.

After the pancreatitis attack is removed, the patient should be taken to a medical facility.If there are bouts of vomiting, then it is necessary to press with two fingers on the root of the tongue. You can drink a tablespoon of salt water, immediately after that, a gag reflex will occur. Usually, after vomiting, it is possible to relieve pain for a while with pancreatitis.

Also, during attacks, it becomes difficult to breathe, so it is recommended to hold your breath so that the chest oscillations are rare, this helps to somehow alleviate the pain.

During an attack, you should not take enzyme preparations, as they can increase the production of gastric juice.They are recommended to be taken in remission. How to remove an attack of pancreatitis at home, the surest way would be if you take a tablet of No-shpa or a domestic drug Drotaverin.

If there is vomiting and nausea, it is better to give an intramuscular injection of a solution of Papaverine and No-shpy. Often the cause of the acute form of pancreatitis is dysfunction of the gallbladder, as a result of which the outflow of bile is impaired. In this case, in order to alleviate the condition, it is recommended to drink 2 tablets of Alohol three times a day.However, if kidney stones are present, this drug is contraindicated. Relief of pain in pancreatitis will be effective if, together with a choleretic agent, antispasmodic drugs are taken: Noshpa, Drotaverin.

What is the dosage of the drug, it is necessary to carefully study the instructions or call the ambulance phone, where experienced specialists will prompt the correct actions. Still, with an exacerbation of an attack, while at home, how to relieve pain with medications for pancreatitis.

After all, the patient cannot always guess what kind of illness provoked such a phenomenon. Taking medications on your own without a diagnosis will make it difficult to determine the true cause and complicate the course of the disease. With acute pain, than relieve the pain of pancreatitis before the arrival of the doctor. If the patient is tormented by severe pain, then you can take some drugs that are prescribed for various diseases.

Food intake should be completely restricted while symptoms of acute pancreatitis are present.The patient should be provided with calm conditions, physical activity is prohibited. A cold heating pad should be applied to the left hypochondrium.

It is impossible to warm the area of ​​the pancreas, as this will intensify the pain symptoms, and it will be destroyed by its own hormones. After the attack has passed, you can not eat food, this can provoke a relapse.

However, you should not limit yourself to drinking. Experts recommend drinking boiled water or sweetened tea. Many patients are interested in how to relieve acute pain in pancreatitis.After the patient is admitted to the hospital, pain relievers are prescribed. In the hospital, they will cleanse the body, put the necessary droppers, prescribe drugs that help restore the pancreas and relieve inflammation. Along with these drugs, antidepressants are prescribed, since against the background of therapy, the patient’s psychological condition worsens.

Also, if necessary, carry out antibiotic treatment, inhibitors of pancreatic enzymes, infusion of protein and saline solutions.If there is no appropriate treatment, then daily attacks can lead to organ destruction and death.

Therefore, even if it was possible to remove the pain syndrome, you should immediately contact a medical institution and find out the cause. With chronic pancreatitis, attacks can worsen, so it is important to know how to relieve inflammation of the pancreas at home. What drugs need to be taken in certain situations will be able to choose the attending physician, and also prescribe their dosage.

Timely first aid for pancreatitis at home will help prevent complications and can save a person’s life. What to do with pancreatitis at home if an exacerbation constantly appears. It is important to take all medications prescribed by your doctor and follow a special diet.

After all, pain in pancreatitis often occurs due to a violation of the rules of nutrition. Namely, the use of spicy, fatty or overly sweet foods. As a result, the outflow of pancreatic juice is disturbed, its composition changes, and a person manifests symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.Compliance with the diet will allow you to forget about the exacerbation of the disease. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How to remove an attack of pancreatitis at home on your own. Symptoms of the acute form of pancreatitis An important internal organ in the human body is the pancreas, which helps to absorb food. There are two forms of the disease: In both cases, the inflammatory process of the pancreas is accompanied by acute pain.In the acute form of pancreatitis, the following symptoms often occur: pain in the hypochondrium on the right; girdle pain in the back; nausea and vomiting; there is bloating in the intestines; lack of appetite; the pressure drops; headache; there are signs of tachycardia.

First aid for acute pancreatitis What if there is severe pain in the pancreas? These drugs are usually prescribed for chronic pancreatitis. How to quickly relieve an attack of pancreatitis while at home, you need to adhere to three basic rules: You should completely limit food intake while there is a symptom of acute pancreatitis.

What kind of therapy is required After the attack has passed, you can not eat food, this can provoke a relapse.

Prevention after an attack With chronic pancreatitis, attacks can worsen, so it is important to know how to relieve inflammation of the pancreas at home. Add comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

Relieve pain in the pancreas at home

Failures in the functioning of the pancreas cause a lot of inconvenience to a person, interfere with normal life.Pancreatitis is diagnosed in acute or chronic form. Pain in pancreatitis can reach high intensity, they are accompanied by loss of appetite, weight loss, inability to sit and walk normally. It is important to know how to diagnose pancreatitis and be able to cope with pain at home and in a hospital setting. Related articles How to get a permanent – static IP address of a computer Pike perch in the oven: recipes with photos How to get rid of the belly in a week. Inflammatory and degenerative processes that occur in the pancreas are called pancreatitis.

Preparations for pancreatitis and their action

People with pancreatitis often experience pain syndromes. What to do in these cases and how you can relieve an attack at home while medical assistance is not available. We will find out about this in this article. An important internal organ in the human body is the pancreas, which assists in the absorption of food. It also releases many hormones and enzymes needed for digestion.Inflammation in the pancreas causes an ailment like pancreatitis.

How to remove an attack of pancreatitis at home? First Aid

But, before we start, we like and subscribe to the channel. Pancreatitis is the disease most commonly seen in adults. There is a list of factors that can trigger an attack of pancreatitis. It is important to know the symptoms and causes that lead to an exacerbation of pancreatitis – this will help determine how to relieve an attack.Before starting treatment or getting rid of an attack of pancreatitis, it is important to understand the essence of the process taking place in the body at this moment. The disease is non-infectious and is characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. The factors that contribute to this are different, but they all lead to an increase in the production of enzymes by the body. Due to the fact that the enzymatic composition becomes more concentrated, the digestive juice begins to be produced more strongly and in greater quantities, the body’s own tissues are digested.If any organ has undergone necrosis, even if the current occurs only in a small part, then its normal functioning stops.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. It can be acute or chronic.

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How is pain in the pancreas manifested and what to do?

Chronic pancreatitis is accompanied by pain in the hypochondrium, which usually occurs after eating.Concomitant symptoms – belching, nausea, vomiting, weakness, stool disorder. The disease requires competent treatment, prescribed by a doctor, and consists mainly in adherence to the strictest diet. Any violation can provoke a severe attack, but diet neglect is especially dangerous.

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RELATED VIDEOS: Pancreatitis: treatment + diet.An effective treatment for the pancreas without medication or medication.

90,000 How to relieve pain in pancreatitis? Read on UKR.NET

Stabbing or girdle pain in the abdomen is one of the symptoms of pancreatitis along with diarrhea, fatty stools, and bloating. In this case, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor and do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, FGDS – the condition can be life-threatening. Pain relief from pancreatitis is not easy. Cold, hunger and rest are needed, as well as medicines of various groups, depending on the nature of the inflammatory process.In acute form Pain in acute pancreatitis is caused by swelling of the Wirsung duct and glandular tissue. Often the culprit is the spasmodic sphincter of Oddi, which blocks the release of bile and pancreatic enzymes. Therefore, it is important to relieve the spasm. In addition, in acute pancreatitis, iron is damaged by its own enzymes, so it is important to reduce the production of enzymes.To relieve pain, several groups of drugs are used: Narcotic and non-narcotic analgesics in combination with antihistamines.Myotropic antispasmodics, anticholinergics. Calcium channel blockers. Gastric secretion inhibitors – Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Dalargin. Drops with pancreatic enzyme inhibitors – Gordox, Contrikal. Somatostatin hormone – Octreotide, Sandostatin, antidepressants, anti-neuroleptics. be in every first aid kit, – Papaverin or Drotaverin (No-shpa). This myotropic antispasmodic prevents the reflux of enzymes along the Wirsung duct, releasing their way into the duodenum through the sphincter of Oddi. At home, use 2 No-shpy tablets. In the hospital, an intramuscular injection of Drotaverin is given, and a solution is added to a drip with sodium chloride. Cholinolytics reduce the secretion of enzymes, and also relieve spasms. Apply Buscopan, Atropine. Non-narcotic analgesics – Ketorolac, Analgin – are quite powerful agents in the fight against pain in pancreatitis. However, they do not replace medical examination and assistance. In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the cause of the pain is in the pancreas, and not in other pathologies with acute abdominal syndrome (penetrating or perforated ulcer, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction).They are used with diphenhydramine, it prevents an allergic reaction, relieves inflammatory edema, allows the patient to sleep. Narcotic analgesics are more powerful than non-narcotic ones. They affect opiate receptors to relieve pain. A faster and stronger effect is obtained when opioids (Fentanyl, Promedol, Tramal) are combined with antipsychotics, antidepressants. Omeprazole reduces gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid, which reflexively stops the production of enzymes in it. Proton pump inhibitors (Omeprazole, Lansoprazole receptors), blockers of H reduce the secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach, which reflexively stops the production of enzymes in it.Dalargin reduces the synthesis of trypsin in the pancreas, brings pain relief. Sandostatin or Octreotide – hormones of the delta cells of the pancreas, which reduce its secretion. Prevent pancreatic necrosis. Inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes – Trasilol, Contrikal, Gordox – prevent bleeding caused by trypsin, weaken an intense pain attack in the left hypochondrium; Antihypoxants – Mexidol, Reamberin – prevent cell death in unfavorable conditions. In the chronic stage, chronic pancreatic acidosis the stage of remission alternates with periods of exacerbation, therefore, the tactics of treatment differ from that in acute inflammation.In case of exacerbation, exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis can begin abruptly, signaling pain in the left side of the chest. In case of exacerbation of pancreatitis, you can take the drug Drotaverin. Often this occurs when eating fried and spicy foods, stress. The use of antispasmodic drugs is shown – Drotaverine, Platyphyllin for pain relief. Fatty, spicy foods, alcohol are prohibited. Enzyme preparations are needed to reduce the load on the gland – Cholenzim, Micrasim, Mezim. In remissionTo improve the functioning of the sphincter of Oddi, medications are used – Gepabene, Odeston, No-shpu, Urolesan. To prevent exacerbation when eating hard-to-digest food, enzyme preparations are used during feasts. Self-relieving pain At home, myotropic antispasmodics are used at home (anticholinergics are dispensed only by prescription) … To relieve pain, apply an ice pack to the epigastric region. Abstaining from food is indicated until the pain subsides.

where and how does the pancreas hurt and what to do?

The pancreas is one of the main internal organs of a person, but most people know almost nothing about its work, diseases and even its exact location.However, this is useful information that everyone needs: the pancreas is a delicate organ, and it is not difficult to disrupt its work. Pain in the pancreas is a serious symptom that accompanies many diseases.

Where is the pancreas, an important organ of the digestive system?

The pancreas is an oblong organ located behind the stomach, approximately five to ten centimeters above the navel. The pancreas is 15–22 centimeters long and weighs only 50–70 grams.The organ is divided into three sections, which doctors call the head, body, and tail. The head is close to the duodenum, the body is close to the stomach, and the tail is close to the spleen.

Although the pancreas is a relatively small organ, it has many different functions. The pancreas secretes pancreatic juice – a “cocktail” of enzymes and salts necessary for the breakdown of various nutrients and their absorption. Without enzymes, we would not be able to digest food.Dozens of types of them are produced in our body, not only in the pancreas, but also in the stomach, and in the salivary glands, and in the intestines.

Interesting fact
The pancreas can secrete up to one liter of pancreatic juice per day.

Each enzyme is designed to break down a strictly defined type of substances: some deal with proteins, others with connective tissues, others with carbohydrates, and so on. A lack of even one of these can lead to significant digestive problems.

In addition, the pancreas produces hormones necessary for metabolic processes – in particular, insulin.

Why the pancreas hurts: we find out the causes

Pain in the pancreas never occurs just like that. They always signal malfunctions, more or less serious.

Pain in the pancreas often occurs in diseases such as pancreatitis, viral hepatitis, pathologies of the biliary tract, in which the outflow of bile is impaired, diabetes, tumors, autoimmune diseases, helminthic invasions.The worst pain in the pancreas is manifested in pancreatitis.

Notes
Approximately 90% of patients with pancreatitis complain of severe pain in the pancreas, and only 10% of the disease goes away without pain.

Painful sensations often accompany the intake of certain medications, such as corticosteroids, hormonal drugs, tetracycline antibiotics.

However, very often pain in the pancreas is caused not by diseases, but by errors in the diet.If we overeat or consume too much alcohol and heavy fatty foods, the glands are working to their limit to help the body absorb them.

How to understand that it is the pancreas that hurts? It is not difficult to identify the problem, pain in the pancreas manifests itself quite specifically. Pain sensations are localized in the area around the navel, and in acute pancreatitis it is given to the back – doctors call this effect “girdle pain”. Pain in the pancreas is aggravated after heavy or fatty foods, alcoholic beverages, as well as in the supine position.This pain is practically not relieved by analgesics and antispasmodics, is constant, unapproachable in nature and weakens slightly if you sit down and bend forward. With pancreatitis, in addition to pain, nausea and vomiting, weakness, sweating are observed.

What to do if the pancreas hurts: recommendations

Pain in the pancreas is often so severe that a person has no choice but to consult a doctor. And this is the right decision: if you suspect a problem with the pancreas, in no case should you self-medicate.As we said above, this pain accompanies many different diseases that require different therapy. And the cause can be determined only after a comprehensive diagnosis: laboratory tests, ultrasound, tomography, X-ray studies and, in some cases, diagnostic laparoscopy.

Therapy of the underlying disease always includes a set of measures.

• Diet . The first task in the treatment of the pancreas is to unload this organ as much as possible, to facilitate its work.Regardless of what caused the pain in the pancreas, a sparing diet is prescribed. First of all, you need to completely exclude alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee and strong tea, spicy, fatty, fried foods, chocolate. Even in healthy people, the abuse of these products can cause discomfort in the pancreas. Usually, the so-called table number 5 is assigned – a menu based on restriction in fats and acidic foods. Table number 5 is food, steamed or boiled, puddings and aspic, lean meat, poultry and fish, foods rich in pectins and fiber: grain bread, sweet berries, pasta, vegetables.You need to eat often and little by little – this allows the digestive tract to assimilate food, without turning on the “emergency mode”. It is advisable to eat at least five times a day, but the portions should be small. By the way, such a diet will be useful not only for those who suffer from serious diseases of the liver and pancreas. It will help you recover from an excessive feast. Even healthy people are familiar with symptoms such as heaviness in the stomach, nausea, flatulence, and upset stomach – the price to pay for overeating or unaccustomed food.After the holidays, with their endless lunches and libations, it can be helpful to temporarily switch to a bland diet to get your digestion back to normal. Table number 5 – the diet is comfortable and does not imply a rejection of a wide group of products.
• Drug therapy . Treatment depends on the underlying disease, but in any case, the doctor will prescribe medications that will help relieve symptoms and improve the functioning of the digestive tract. For pain in the pancreas, pain relievers are prescribed to relieve acute attacks, antacids to restore the level of gastric acidity and normalize the digestive function, as well as enzyme preparations (for chronic pancreatitis outside the period of exacerbations).The enzymes they contain are practically indistinguishable from our own enzymes and help to cope with the absorption of food if the pancreas cannot produce enough pancreatic juice. In addition, in some cases, choleretic agents, antisecretory substances (the so-called H2-blockers of histamine receptors and proton pump inhibitors) are prescribed.

Pain in the pancreas is a symptom that cannot be ignored. However, it is worth remembering that, albeit rarely, pancreatic diseases can develop almost asymptomatically.Therefore, it is advisable to undergo a general examination by a gastroenterologist at least once every couple of years. This is especially true for those who are not used to denying themselves alcohol, fatty and fried foods.

Mezim®. Chronic pancreatitis

The pancreas is one of the most important human organs. It is located in the abdominal cavity. Its role in the human body cannot be overestimated: the pancreas is actively involved in the digestion process.With the help of the enzymes it produces (lipase, amylase and proteases), proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down, which are then absorbed in the small intestine. And the hormones of the pancreas (insulin and others) – regulate the level of glucose in the blood.

Medicines for pancreatitis

What is pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas . The disease can be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis can develop unexpectedly, lasts a short period of time and can lead to the development of a chronic form of the disease and a number of complications.Over time, healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue and becomes unable to produce the required amount of enzymes necessary for normal digestion. Difficulties arise with the digestion of food, primarily fats. The processes of digestion of proteins and carbohydrates are also disrupted.

Causes of the disease 90 160

The reasons for the development of chronic inflammation of the pancreas can be cholelithiasis, inflammation of the duodenum, peptic ulcer, trauma, alcohol abuse, smoking, unsystematic, irregular nutrition, excessive consumption of spicy and fatty foods.And the simultaneous intake of fatty foods and alcohol can provoke an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.

An important role in the development of pancreatitis is also played by diseases of the gallbladder and biliary tract.

Overdose of a number of drugs (antibiotics, immunosuppressants, glucocorticosteroid hormones, etc.) can also damage the pancreas.

How does chronic pancreatitis manifest?

First of all, with chronic pancreatitis, a person is worried about pain.It occurs after some time (~ 30–40 minutes) after the intake of abundant, fatty, fried or spicy food, is constant or paroxysmal in nature. It is usually felt in the upper abdomen, in the left hypochondrium and may become shingles.

In addition to pain, nausea, vomiting, general weakness, loss of appetite, and thirst can be disturbing. Vomiting during exacerbation of pancreatitis can be frequent, debilitating, and does not bring relief. With a prolonged course of the disease, functional insufficiency of the pancreas develops, which is expressed in loosening of the stool, bloating, and weight loss.Weight loss, even with normal appetite, occurs because the pancreas does not produce enough enzymes to break down food and nutrients are not absorbed. The stool becomes voluminous, has a “greasy” appearance, a fetid, putrid odor appears. The doctor takes into account all the data of clinical and laboratory studies and analyzes before making a diagnosis.

How does a doctor treat chronic pancreatitis?

With an exacerbation of pancreatitis, it is necessary to exclude alcohol and smoking.These are the two most important factors that worsen the course of chronic pancreatitis and exacerbate the disease.

Meals should be fractional, 5-6 meals a day, in small portions, low in fat. Exclude marinades, fried, fatty and spicy foods, strong broths that have a significant stimulating effect on the pancreas.

Pain relief is the first and most important step in the management of chronic pancreatitis. In the acute period and with severe pain, the doctor prescribes pain relievers.In the complex therapy of the pancreas, drugs that reduce the secretion of hydrochloric acid (omeprazole, famodidine, etc.), antispasmodics (drotaverine) and enzymes (pancreatin) are mandatory. Complex therapy is aimed at reducing pain, relieving inflammation, helping to restore the impaired outflow of pancreatic juice and restore the impaired function of the digestive tract.

Enzyme preparations, for example Mezim® Pro and Mezim® 20,000, help to normalize the processes of food digestion.

These drugs, taking on the function of the pancreas to digest food, unload it, help reduce high pressure in the ducts of the gland, and reduce inflammation.

Taking this drug, subject to the diet prescribed by the doctor and changes in lifestyle, facilitates the digestion of food, normalizes the stool. It is important to remember that the selection of the dosage and the duration of admission is determined by the gastroenterologist. Mezim®, as a drug with a good safety profile, can be used for a long time.In the chronic and long-term course of pancreatitis, due to the ongoing process of replacing normal tissue with connective (scar) tissue, which is not able to produce enzymes, the pancreas becomes unable to fully meet the body’s needs for enzymes. In this case, the doctor prescribes the intake of enzyme preparations for a long time. And it’s not a secret for anyone that complete digestion of food is the most important condition for the existence of a healthy body.

90,000 Treatment of pancreatitis at home using alternative methods

In the process of organ damage, the enzymes that it produces play an important role.Due to the pathological condition, they are not partially released into the intestinal cavity, but are activated in the glands, which entails its destruction.

Symptoms of pancreatitis may vary depending on the etiological factor and characteristics of the course of the disease, but the following are considered typical:

• intense, sometimes sudden pain in the epigastric region, which can be shingles in nature;
• indomitable repeated vomiting that does not bring relief;
• jaundice of mechanical origin (enlarged pancreas compresses the duct and causes symptoms of its obstruction).

Classification of pancreatitis

Traditional medicine and experienced clinicians divide pancreatitis into two main forms: acute and chronic. The first variation is a life-threatening condition. The listed symptoms are complemented by an increase in temperature, pronounced pallor of the skin and a strong intoxication syndrome. This condition is also observed with exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.

Separately, it should be noted that an attack can mimic angina pectoris.That is, an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis will be manifested by retrosternal pain of a pressing or constrictive nature, dizziness and a subjective feeling of lack of air. Such symptoms usually accompany damage to the cardiovascular system, so you should be on your guard in both cases.

Symptoms of chronic inflammation of the pancreas in the period between attacks are mild. The pain is described as aching, dull. Stool disorders in the form of diarrhea and dyspeptic syndrome resembling gastritis join.

The first symptoms of diabetes may also develop, as the cells responsible for the production of insulin are affected as a result of the chronic process.

Principles for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis:

• diet;
• maintaining the functional activity of the pancreas;
• substitution therapy;
• first aid for an attack of chronic pancreatitis;
• treatment with folk remedies.

Therapy of inflammation of the pancreas is carried out according to an integrated method, when the entire arsenal available in medicine is used – from strictly dietary nutrition to folk recipes. It should also be noted that you should start treating pancreatitis at home. This makes it possible to preserve a large number of functionally capable cells.

First aid for exacerbation

It is recommended to relieve an attack of acute pancreatitis on your own only when medical care is out of quick reach.In other cases, you should immediately contact an ambulance, because an exacerbation of the condition threatens with serious consequences for the body. Therefore, immediately after emergency measures, when the attack subsided a little, and the patient can be transported, he must be taken to the nearest medical center.

First aid begins by putting the body in the correct position – sitting with the torso tilted forward. The elbows rest on the ankles. This will help relieve acute pain to a certain extent.True, it is worth remembering that sudden movements are completely contraindicated, that is, further assistance should be provided with practiced and calm movements.

Also, traditional medicine indicates the possibility of using the following measures to quickly relieve an attack of pancreatitis:

• severe fasting – any foodstuffs stimulate the pancreas;
• the liquid should be supplied in limited quantities – 50 ml every half hour;
• put ice wrapped in a towel / gauze on the area where the gland is projected onto the back (the area where the last ribs leave);
• control breathing – it is recommended to take shallow breaths and periodically linger on the exhale;
• “Gastric” pain relievers – drotaverine hydrochloride (No-shpa) (80 mg).

With such simple measures, you can slightly ease the pain at the moment of exacerbation, but you should not rely only on your own strength. As already noted, it is imperative to deliver the patient to the point where qualified assistance will be provided, and there is the possibility of conducting diagnostic studies.

Therapy of chronic pancreatitis with folk remedies

Treatment of pancreatitis at home cannot do without old recipes that have been proven for decades.True, a reservation should be made that with folk remedies, therapy is carried out only in the case of chronic inflammation. Under any other circumstances – traditional medicine with qualified specialists.

Start preparing folk remedies for the treatment of pancreatitis …

it is possible without much preparation, because there are many recipes from improvised products of the daily diet. 2-3 unpeeled potatoes and 1-2 medium-sized carrots are passed through a juicer to obtain 200 ml of juice.It is drunk half an hour before each meal. This should be continued for a week, after which take the same break. The general course of treatment is 6 weeks, that is, 3 active and 3 passive phases, when the juice is not consumed.

Another effective remedy, traditional medicine suggests to prepare on the basis of lemon. 1 kg of pitted fresh lemons should be chopped or minced. Add 300 grams of garlic and parsley each. Mix thoroughly, and the healing recipe is ready.You need to take it 1 teaspoon 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals. It should be borne in mind that such a product must be stored in an enamel bowl.

Of course, treatment with folk remedies cannot do without the use of medicinal herbs. For the treatment of inflammatory processes of the pancreas are used:

• leaves of a golden mustache in the form of a decoction;
• alder buckthorn complete with plantain, wheatgrass and sage;
• alcohol tincture of chicory and immortelle.

Traditional medicine has saved many lives, but it is simply stupid to rely on it completely in the 21st century. Nowadays, there are plant-based pharmaceutical preparations from the above representatives of the flora. Even traditional medicine recommends their appointment in an integrated approach to the treatment of pancreatitis.

90,000 Exacerbation of pancreatitis: first aid for an attack

Statistics claim that pancreatitis has become a very common disease in recent years.For example, in our country there are 27.4-50 cases of chronic pancreatitis per 100,000 people, and the picture is about the same in European countries. The number of patients suffering from the acute form of the disease is also increasing: in Russia, the frequency of cases ranges from 10 to 13% of the total number of patients with surgical pathologies of the abdominal organs.

Pancreatitis: types, causes and symptoms of the disease

In medicine, pancreatitis is defined as an inflammatory disease of the pancreas – one of the most important human organs responsible for the production of digestive juice and plays a key role in the entire process of digestion and assimilation of food.

According to the classification, there are several main forms of pancreatitis:

• Acute pancreatitis , in which digestive enzymes are activated in the pancreas itself, as a result of which its tissues are affected – “self-digestion” of the organ occurs, accompanied by edema and cell necrosis, as well as possible damage to surrounding tissues and organs. The causes of acute pancreatitis can be diseases of the bile ducts (35%), abdominal trauma, poisoning, severe allergic reactions.But one of the main factors provoking the disease is alcohol abuse (55% of cases are caused by this very reason).
• Acute recurrent pancreatitis resembles a mild form of acute pancreatitis, but is characterized by repeated attacks of varying degrees of intensity. It is very difficult to diagnose this form.
• Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an independent, slowly progressive disease of the pancreas, which is characterized by alternating periods of exacerbations and remissions.Traditionally, alcohol abuse is also considered one of the main causes of CP development (60–70%). In addition, malnutrition with a predominance of fatty and spicy foods, which provokes an excessive load on the pancreas, can also cause the disease. Sometimes CP occurs as a consequence of the spread of gastric or duodenal ulcers to the gland. There are two main stages of the disease. The first can last for several years, while the patient is practically not worried about anything. This stage, without proper treatment, will inevitably go to the next, in which organ lesions are very serious, the symptoms are already manifested constantly and, at the same time, periods of exacerbation often occur.

For acute and chronic pancreatitis in the acute stage, three general symptoms are characteristic:

• sharp and severe pain in the upper abdomen, encircling the body or extending to the back,
• profuse vomiting, not relieving,
• and muscle tension in the upper abdomen, detected on examination.

Any form of pancreatitis sooner or later leads to enzyme deficiency of the pancreas, in other words – a lack of digestive enzymes.

Symptoms of enzyme deficiency in pancreatitis are usually very pronounced – this is

• flatulence,
• heartburn,
• nausea,
• polyfecal matter.

One of the characteristic features is the presence of undigested lumps of food and a large amount of fat in the feces. This is due to the fact that the digestive system cannot cope with the digestion of food, which remains in the intestinal lumen and irritates it, while the flow of nutrients into the blood is significantly reduced.Due to the poor assimilation of nutrients, the patient eventually develops vitamin deficiency, anemia and, as a result, general depletion of the body.

How can an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis be triggered?

Chronic pancreatitis is an insidious disease, a person can live peacefully and not feel symptoms for a long time. But what plays the role of the “trigger” in the transition of the disease to the exacerbation phase? The same reasons that cause the development of the disease itself.

• First, an acute attack of pancreatitis appears due to a violation of the diet. Overeating, especially if there is a large number of spicy and fatty foods, fast food, smoked meats and canned foods on the regular menu, inevitably leads to an excessive load on the diseased organ.
• Secondly, is the same frivolous attitude to alcohol – drinking alcohol, even in relatively small doses, can transfer the disease into an acute stage.
• Thirdly, intoxication with ARVI or taking certain medications can become an impetus: chronic patients should be careful about any drug therapy, especially if it has not been prescribed by a doctor.
• Fourth, certain autoimmune diseases (for example cystic fibrosis), physical overwork or chronic stress can provoke the onset of an attack of pancreatitis.

The first and main signal of the onset of an attack of pancreatitis is the appearance of acute pain in the epigastric region, sometimes radiating to the back or heart area – this symptom is characteristic of 80–90% of all patients.After eating, the pain usually increases, it can be reduced by taking a sitting position or leaning forward. Sometimes pain cannot be eliminated by taking painkillers, and with an increase in its intensity, even painful shock and loss of consciousness are possible.

Pain with exacerbation of pancreatitis may appear within an hour or two after ingestion of fatty or spicy foods. It happens that an attack of pancreatitis begins later – after 6-12 hours. An even greater “delay” is often observed after alcohol abuse – it can reach two or even three days.In medical practice, there have been cases of the onset of an attack in the coming minutes as a result of the use of cold fizzy drinks. In some cases, the pain has no obvious connection with food intake at all.

As chronic pancreatitis worsens, the patient develops

• specific bitterness in the oral cavity,
• whitish coating on the tongue,
• decreased appetite,
• nausea,
• vomiting, which does not improve the patient’s well-being.

How long does an attack of chronic pancreatitis last?

Answer exactly the question “How long does an attack of pancreatitis last?” difficult – from an hour to several days, and the period of exacerbation of pancreatitis with regularly recurring attacks – from a week or more.

It is impossible to treat an exacerbation on its own: according to statistics, approximately 15–20% of patients die from complications that have arisen during an attack. When it starts, you need to immediately call the ambulance team, and before its arrival, it is recommended to follow a few simple recommendations to help alleviate the patient’s condition a little.

First aid for an attack of pancreatitis

The first aid formula is simple – “cold, hunger and calm”. A patient with an attack needs to provide all three of its components as soon as possible:

• completely exclude the intake of any food and liquids (except for clean cool water) in order to relieve the load on the pancreas – this prohibition will remain in effect until the person’s condition returns to normal;
• to put the patient in bed on his back; in case of vomiting, it is permissible to take a position on his side with knees pressed to his stomach;
• Apply a cold compress to the pancreatic area.

In this case, it is forbidden to take medications on your own – competent assistance in exacerbation of pancreatitis can only be provided by a doctor in a hospital setting. It is there that the patient will be examined, and on the basis of a set of diagnostic measures, he will be prescribed adequate therapy.

This complex includes

• palpation,
• laboratory diagnostics, including a detailed clinical, biochemical blood test and bacteriological examination of the exudate of the abdominal cavity (performed during the operation),
• study of enzymes and instrumental diagnostics – ultrasound of the abdominal organs,

and according to indications –

• MRI,
• computed tomography (radiography).

During treatment, severe pain is relieved with the help of analgesics and antispasmodics, the latter are also necessary to restore the normal outflow of pancreatic juice. When an infection is detected or during surgery, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. To reduce the activity of the pancreas, it is possible to prescribe somatotropin antagonists. According to the indications, the pumping of gastric contents and intensive detoxification therapy are carried out.

In the period of exacerbation of pancreatitis, the use of enzyme preparations is contraindicated.

To correct changes in the patient’s body, appropriate symptomatic treatment is used, which may include drugs that support the work of the heart, normalize blood pressure, and others.

If the patient develops necrosis of the pancreatic tissue – pancreatic necrosis – an operation is performed to remove them.

What can be done after an exacerbation of pancreatitis

After relieving an attack of pancreatitis, treatment should be aimed primarily at supporting the function of the pancreas and its ability to fully digest food entering the body.The pancreas is not able to repair itself, which means that it cannot work without support in chronic pancreatitis. That is why one of the main directions of treatment during the period of remission is enzyme therapy – the one that is not allowed during an exacerbation of the disease.

Enzyme replacement therapy is not able to restore the pancreas, but can take over some of its functions. The corresponding enzyme preparations are prescribed for a long time, sometimes for life – with their help, the human body fully receives all the nutrients it needs from food.

But this is not the only function of enzyme-containing drugs: their ability has been proven to stop the pain syndrome itself and minimize the secretory function of the pancreas, providing it with functional rest. This ability is realized due to the mechanism of reverse inhibition of enzyme production.

In addition to enzyme therapy, the patient is prescribed a special diet, which also reduces the load on the affected organ. It is recommended to abandon

• animal fats,
• sour, fried, salty, smoked food,
• strong broths and soups based on them.

And, of course,

fall under the total ban

• alcohol
• and smoking.

The relief of attacks in chronic pancreatitis and especially the subsequent prevention of pancreatic insufficiency require a long and well-coordinated teamwork from the doctor and the patient. Self-medication in this case can easily lead to serious complications, fraught with a threat to life.

Disclaimer : This content, including tips, provides general information only.This is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical report. Always consult a specialist or your healthcare professional for more information.

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