1 Characteristics of the organ and presence in the human body

The pancreas is located in the abdominal cavity, behind the stomach. Normally in adults it is located at the level of the first lumbar vertebra. In its structure, three parts are distinguished, called the head, body and tail.

This organ is divided into many small lobules in which acinar cells are located,producing secret. The lobules are separated by a connective tissue, in which are blood vessels and nerve fibers. Through the entire length of the gland a duct passes through which the pancreatic secret produced by it enters the digestive system. This secret is very important for the normal process of digestion of food. Per day, iron produces up to a liter of pancreatic juice containing enzymes such as amylase, trypsin and lipase. Amylase cleaves carbohydrates, trypsin - peptides and proteins, and lipase - water-soluble fats.

In the caudal lobe of the gland are located the so-called islets of Langerhans, which consist of alpha and beta cells of about 2 million. They produce essential hormones insulin and glucagon. The first is responsible for lowering the blood glucose level, and the second - for raising it.

The size of the pancreas varies throughout the life of a person. Thus, in a newborn child its length is about 5 cm, and already at the end of the first year of life - 7 cm. By adolescence, the organ grows to 15 cm. In the adult, its dimensions are: length - 20-24 cm, width in narrow part- 2-3 cm, and in the widest - 7-8 cm. The weight of this organ in an adult is about 100 g. If the sizes exceed these figures, then this may indicate the development of the pathological process. And since the pancreas is the most important part of the digestive tract, any damage to it immediately has a very negative effect on digestion.

2 Why can iron change its size?

The dimensions of this organ can vary with a variety of pathologies. The most common among them is pancreatitis( acute or chronic).This disease is characterized by inflammation of the tissues of the organ. In this case, with ultrasound, a specialist can see that the gland is uniformly enlarged. Sonography is the main method of diagnosing the pathology of this organ, since it is not palpated when palpated.

If there is a process of formation of cysts or necrosis of a part of the gland, then during the study it becomes apparent that the pancreatic size is normal, but there are areas with a changed structure.

In case of cancer, the body can also change its size. And this can happen unevenly. In addition, changes in the size and structure of the pancreas are characteristic of diabetes, necrosis or the presence of stones in the ducts, alcoholism, organ trauma, the intake of certain types of medications, liver diseases and cystic fibrosis.

Ultrasound of this gland is prescribed under such conditions:

• diabetes mellitus;
• jaundice of the skin;
• frequent digestive disorders;
• severe pain in the stomach;
• deformation of the stomach or duodenum;
• discomfort after eating.

Ultrasound is performed on an empty stomach as the presence of undigested food in the digestive tract can distort the image, which will affect the reliability of the results. Therefore, the patient is not recommended to eat at least 12 hours before the test, and even 2-3 days before ultrasound completely eliminate the products that cause the processes of fermentation in the intestine.

In order to accurately determine the size of the pancreas, they are normally enlarged, the patient should be in a lying position. The doctor will examine the organ, measure all its dimensions and attach a snapshot to the protocol.

3 Medical measures

If ultrasound diagnosis shows that the pancreas has enlarged, then such a patient needs to undergo an additional examination to find out the cause of this phenomenon. The doctor will refer the patient to the tests, possibly suggesting an MRI or CT scan.

Already, depending on the diagnosis, tactics of treatment will be developed. It is strictly individual and must take into account the characteristics of the patient's body and all accompanying pathologies. As medicamental therapy for the ailments of this organ are prescribed:

1. Anesthetics. They help to remove the pain syndrome, characteristic of acute pancreatitis.
2. Antacids. These drugs protect the stomach and reduce the production of gastric secretions, which helps reduce pain.
3. Enzyme preparations. In diseases of the pancreas, enzymes are prescribed that promote digestion and support the functions of the organ. Reception of such drugs is usually lengthy, up to several months. Also, drugs can be prescribed that will stimulate the production of enzymes by the gland itself.

Operations on this body are done only in the most severe and emergency cases. When surgical intervention, it is possible to remove stones from the ducts or part of the affected organ.

4 Diet in the pathology of

An important role in the restoration of normal pancreatic size plays a therapeutic diet.

After all, excessive consumption of fatty, spicy, too hot food and alcohol causes the diseases of this organ. Here is a list of foods that can not be eaten with diseases of this tender body:

• fatty foods;
• semi-finished products;
• sausage products;
• rich broths and dishes from them;
• pickles and marinades;
• fried food;
• sour juices;
• alcoholic beverages;
• strong tea and coffee;
• sweets;
• spices and spices, especially spicy.

The basis of the diet should be dishes from low-fat varieties of meat( chicken, rabbit, turkey), cooked or cooked with steam, a variety of soups and cereals, as well as dairy products. Recommended boiled vegetables, omelettes, from sweets - jelly, kissels, curd casseroles.

Traditional medicine also has in its arsenal the means to restore the normal size of the body:

1. In a glass of fat-free yogurt you need to dilute 1 tbsp.l.buckwheat flour and drink this mixture on an empty stomach.
2. Finely chop parsley( about 800 g), place in a saucepan and pour with milk to cover the grass. Keep the pan in the oven until the milk boils. Then allow to cool and wipe through a sieve. The resulting mass take 1 tbsp.l.each hour. For the day you need to consume all the medicine you have received.
3. Soak in a liter thermos 500 grams of oats, insist night, strain and take 100 ml three times a day.
4. Drink 2 tablespoons each.l.freshly squeezed potato juice half an hour before meals.

The size of this gland says a lot about its condition. Therefore, it is so important to know them and try not to overload this body. After all, his treatment is a long process and not always successful.