The pancreas is one of the most important organs of the human body. She is responsible for a very important and complex process of digestion. At the time when the pancreas is inflamed - there is pancreatitis. The most frequent culprit of the disease is the person himself - abuse of alcoholic beverages, constant snacks instead of a full dinner, frequent use of fatty and salty foods impose an imprint on the condition of the pancreas. When there is an inflammatory process in the gland, a person feels the symptoms that are specific for this disease.
Symptoms of pancreatitis
An attack of pancreatitis can occur suddenly, when a person does not know about the present disease. Symptoms of an attack of pancreatitis are so pronounced that they can not go unnoticed.
- Strong painful sensations. The pain appears in the upper part of the abdomen, can give in the anterior margin or lower back. Severe pain can be explained by the fact that on the pancreas there are a lot of nerve endings that only increase the pain syndrome.
If you do not take painkillers for a long time, you may get a pain shock. Severe pain is mainly manifested in the acute form of pancreatitis, during palpation of the abdominal region, pain syndrome is more pronounced when the hand is released than when it is pressed.
In order to alleviate a little pain, it is recommended to press your knees to the chin. If the pain does not pass for several hours, this is the main sign of the onset of an acute form of the disease. It is not excluded that a patient in such a situation can lose consciousness.
- Against the background of pain, the patient experiences nausea and vomiting, which does not bring relief. The first urge to vomit is in the form of remnants of food, then from bile. The abdomen can be slightly swollen.
- In acute exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, constipation may alternate with a loose stool for several days. With diarrhea, you can see poorly digested food and feel a stench.
- Many patients note the drying of the mucous in the mouth, hiccough, belching.
- In the recumbent position, the patient experiences severe pain attacks, which subside, it is worthwhile for a man to clasp his knees with his hands.
- In acute form and exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, a slight increase in body temperature by 1-2 degrees is possible. This is due to the course of the inflammatory process.
- The language of the patient acquires a white coating, the skin becomes dry and slightly elastic. A couple of days after the first symptoms, weight loss is noticeable.
- Urination becomes rare, less than 50 ml per day, dyspnea occurs.
- The skin becomes pale, sometimes jaundiced.
An attack of the disease can cause irreversible effects to the body, up to a fatal outcome. With the appearance of the first symptoms of self-medication, one should not be engaged in any case, the diagnosis and treatment of the disease should be carried out in a hospital under the supervision of doctors.
Emergency care for inflammation of the pancreas
In time and correctly rendered first aid in case of an attack of pancreatitis can save a person's life. If the exacerbation occurred in a place where medical assistance is not available, you need to act as follows:
- The patient should be laid on any surface, and do it without sharp movements;
- Give the patient regular water at room temperature every 30 minutes. Carbonated drinks and mineral water in this case are strictly contraindicated;
- You can not give people any food. At the first symptoms of pancreatitis, fasting for at least three days is recommended. Any food forces the enzymes of the gland to work, and as a result, pain will only increase;
- The use of drugs with enzymes is prohibited, it can only harm the patient;
- Drotaverin or no-shpa is given in the amount of 0.8 mg. These drugs will help relieve pain;
- To relieve swelling from the gland and reduce pain, it is necessary to apply cold on the area located between the navel and the lower edge of the chest. For this purpose, you can use a hot water bottle with cold water.
People who have experienced this type of attack for the first time know three basic rules for first aid in inflammation of the pancreas: hunger, cold and rest. It happens that before the arrival of the "First Aid" antispasmodics begin to act and seizures a little subside. Patients refuse hospitalization and thereby endanger their lives. Pancreatitis is an insidious disease, it can not go on by itself, so when you have the above symptoms, you should not postpone visiting a doctor. Treatment of pancreatitis is carried out only in the hospital, there can be no question of any home procedures.
Causes of exacerbation of pancreatitis
With the constant intake of fatty foods, frequent use of alcohol, the pancreas suffers first. This body, under normal dietary conditions, produces a sufficient number of enzymes capable of independently cope with the food consumed. During a feast with harmful high-calorie food and alcoholic beverages, pancreatic gland suffers in the first place. For the splitting of food, it no longer has enough enzymes, and it begins to intensify the development of additional resources. It's okay if such moments happen rarely, the pancreas, when returning to a normal diet, functions at the same level.
If the feast can not be avoided, it is possible to minimize the burden on the pancreas and minimize the negative consequences. Before taking fatty foods and alcohol, you need to drink activated charcoal, in the calculation of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. At the end of the holiday, you can take Mezim or Creon, these drugs will help the digestive system cope with the extra load.
Pancreatitis can appear as a concomitant disease in problems with bile ducts. When the cholagogue is blocked, a dangerous bile enters the pancreas and starts destructive work there. With the normal operation of all organs, bile enters the intestine, where at the same time, enzymes are activated. With some disorders, the enzymes begin to activate outside the intestine, in the gland itself. Thus, there is a disease of pancreatic necrosis. In the gallbladder, there are often stones that can also cause blockage of the cholagogic ducts. That is why it is so important to undergo a regular medical examination of the abdominal cavity.
Treatment of
To determine the cause of the ailment, the patient must undergo a complete examination, which includes:
- Blood and urine analysis for the detection of inflammation;
- Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity;
- Biochemical blood test;
- X-ray examination.
After an accurate diagnosis, the patient is prescribed a course of treatment. What procedures are included? First of all, you need to remove the pain syndrome. Then prescribed drugs that can stop vomiting and normalize the work of the intestines. When the inflammatory process is started, it is impossible to do without taking antibacterial drugs. One of the main points of treatment is a fasting diet, in which only drinking water without gas is allowed.
If the diagnosis showed necrosis of pancreatic tissue, the occurrence of peritonitis, without surgical intervention is indispensable. If pancreatitis is a concomitant disease, in parallel with it, the main one is treated, but only after the elimination of acute attacks.
Treatment of acute pancreatitis or its chronic form is no different. After eliminating the main pain symptoms, you can not stop the main treatment. After the passed course of therapy, the patient should completely change his diet. Eliminate all fatty, spicy dishes, alcoholic beverages, foods containing preservatives and flavor enhancers.
With a constant diet and a sparing lifestyle, an attack of pancreatitis can be avoided. But if it does come, you should not forget about the rules of the first emergency aid. Hunger, cold and rest - these are the basic rules that must be adhered to the patient. A timely and competent approach to the treatment of the disease will minimize pancreatitis attacks and allow you to enjoy everyday life.
