How often is this picture observed: a person begins to feel unwell, he is getting worse, but he does not call a doctor, reasoning something like this: “It’s something I ate, it will pass by itself. Why bother your ambulance with your problems. ” However, these arguments are incorrect, because acute pancreatitis, the symptoms of which are similar in some cases to food poisoning, is very dangerous.
And emergency doctors just welcome early treatment. After all, if you delay the challenge, it will only be worse for the patient, and the doctors will have to work harder - even hospitalization is possible. The signs of this condition are important for everyone to know, because the ambulance crew makes the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis the patient quite often. In this case, an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis is considered the most common form .
Damage to the pancreas of an inflammatory-necrotic nature resulting from enzymatic self-digestion (autolysis) is the essence of this disease. It is extremely dangerous, as in some cases it can be fatal.
Symptoms of acute pancreatitis
Harbingers of such an ailment:
• Uncertain complaints of fuzzy pain in the navel or epigastric region. Sometimes biliary colic.
• Dyspeptic symptoms, which pass rather quickly.
Over time, everything changes and the disorder begins with girdle pain in the upper abdomen.
A sensation of pain in the left hypochondrium indicates damage to the tail of the pancreas. Pain in the middle is a consequence of damage to the body of the organ, if on the right in relation to the midline, then, most likely, the head of the gland is inflamed. If the patient complains of severe girdle pain - this indicates a total damage to the pancreas - acute pancreatitis.
Symptoms of this ailment appear after drinking alcohol, eating fatty foods, overeating, and dietary errors. Therefore, as emergency services note, during and after the holidays, the number of pain attacks among the population sharply increases, and, as a result, there is an increase in calls.
How to distinguish acute pancreatitis, the symptoms of which are very similar to an attack of gallstone disease, appendicitis or other diseases in the abdomen?
Pay attention to such characteristic signs:
• Severe pain forces the patient to constantly change the position of the body. However, relief does not occur. Sharp pains are bursting, boring. Often the patient complains that the pain radiates to the back, radiates to the right and left hypochondrium, to the shoulder blade, shoulder girdle, and in rare cases to the heart.
• Hiccups appear because the diaphragm is irritated.
• Nausea and vomiting are observed. Vomiting is often indomitable, painful, not giving relief, sometimes with blood inclusions.
• This condition is characterized by a delay in gas and stool.
• The patient has sharpened facial features.
• The mucous membranes and skin become pale. In some cases, acrocyanosis and shortness of breath are noted. The tongue upon examination is coated with a bloom - brown or yellow.
• At the beginning of the attack, the pulse is not rapid (bradycardia), but tachycardia soon appears. The pulse per minute reaches from 100 to 140 beats. Blood pressure decreases.
• Sometimes signs of shock develop.
• If necrosis develops, the pain is somewhat reduced due to necrosis of the nerve fibers.
• The temperature is most often normal, and rises slightly over time.
Often others with similar complaints to the ambulance turn to people suffering from chronic alcoholism.
It is important to know that patients who are diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, whose symptoms are beyond doubt, should be urgently hospitalized in a hospital. In a hospital, they will be assisted.