The pancreas is the second largest organ of the digestive system after the liver. The length of this organ is about 20 cm, the gland is located to the left of the stomach.
Pancreas function:
- The production of hormones: insulin and lipocoin. Insulin is responsible for blood sugar, and lipocoid is responsible for the normal process of fat oxidation in the liver.
- Production of pancreatic juice and digestive enzymes. This juice neutralizes the acid from the stomach and passes further into the duodenum, thus participating in digestion.
If the pancreatic duct is blocked for some reason, then pancreatic juice cannot normally pass through it and begins to dissolve the gland itself. This phenomenon causes inflammation of the pancreas or, in other words, pancreatitis. This disease causes certain symptoms. Inflammation of the pancreas brings very painful sensations comparable in strength to renal colic.
Causes of pancreatic inflammation:
- gall bladder disease;
- unhealthy fatty foods and alcohol;
- injuries of the abdomen, injuries;
- taking certain types of drugs (antibiotics, furosemide, estrogens, etc.);
- infections and parasites;
- anatomical abnormalities (tumors, narrowing of the duct);
- vascular disease;
- violation of the hormonal background and metabolism.
However, in about a third of patients, the cause of pancreatitis cannot be established.
Symptoms: inflammation of the pancreas
This disease has the main symptoms. Inflammation of the pancreas in the acute phase: very severe paroxysmal pain in the upper abdomen, in the left or right hypochondrium, which are girdle-like. These pains are not relieved by either analgesics or antispasmodics. In addition, vomiting, weakness, impaired stools, and dizziness often occur.
If pancreatitis goes into the chronic phase, then the pain in the epigastric region remains, and can be given to the back or rise up to the area of the heart, causing sensations of angina pectoris. If the patient lays on his back, then the pain intensifies, and if he sits down and leans forward a bit, then it weakens.
The most severe pains occur one hour after eating and worsen if the patient does not follow a special diet.
Another symptom of pancreatitis is diarrhea. The stool becomes greasy, poorly washed off the walls of the toilet bowl, contains particles of undigested food, the color is grayish, it smells very unpleasant.
Complications of Pancreatitis
This disease can lead to cholecystitis. On the other hand, cholecystitis in itself often leads to pancreatitis.
Violation of hormone production due to pancreatic inflammation can provoke fatty degeneration of the liver on the one hand, and diabetes mellitus on the other.
Pancreatitis can be significantly complicated by purulent infectious diseases that lead to abscesses and intra-abdominal bleeding.
But the most dangerous complication is the destruction of the pancreas up to peritonitis. In this case, a fatal outcome is possible .
Treatment for pancreatic inflammation
In the acute phase of pancreatitis, it is cold and hunger. When the attack begins, then on the solar plexus area you need to put a heating pad with cold water. Food for several days should be excluded, and drink only non-carbonated mineral water.
When the acute phase of pancreatitis goes away, the patient must follow a strict diet: low-fat light food, which contains a large amount of protein (cottage cheese, fish, low-fat cooked meat). You can eat boiled or stewed on water vegetables, baked apples.
It is important that the food is neither cold nor hot, as this can trigger a new attack.
Alcohol, garlic, smoked meats, hot spices, fats must be strictly excluded from the diet. Carbohydrates should also be minimized.
Doctors often prescribe enzymes to the patient. But it is better to avoid this, so that the pancreas can independently normalize its work. Proper nutrition, homeopathic medicines, herbal infusions will help with this.
We have already said about proper nutrition. As for homeopathy, in the acute phase, Apis is most often prescribed in 3 grains every 3 hours, and in the chronic phase it is every 4-5 hours.
Traditional medicine gives such recommendations for the treatment of pancreatitis:
- Psyllium infusion to drink 100 grams half an hour before meals;
- drink oats broth 3-4 cups a day;
- 0.2 grams of the mummy diluted in water and drink twice a day for one month.
It is also believed that the pancreas becomes inflamed if a person is chronically experiencing a state of hopelessness and anger. Therefore, positive soaps, the adoption of a situation also very well help in this situation.
And remember that pancreatitis is a serious disease that can be fatal. Therefore, if symptoms occur, inflammation of the pancreas is inevitable, try to immediately go to the hospital for a qualified examination and help. Be healthy!