In medicine, the concept of "chronic pancreatitis" refers to a whole group of pancreatic diseases that are inflammatory in nature and lead to deformation of its tissues, pancreatitis, as well as the formation of cysts, while the endocrine system is disrupted. Inflammation of the pancreas is a serious disease, at the same time it is quite common. It is observed in people of different ages and sex.
Pancreatitis can develop as with pronounced signs, and mask as other diseases, for example, a stomach ulcer or cholecystitis. Therefore, it often becomes difficult to make the correct diagnosis. Signs of pancreatitis, in particular its chronic form, are constant pain in the hypochondrium on the left side, which can spread to the back, nausea and upset stomach, bloating, weight loss, so-called night blindness can develop. Thus, chronic pancreatitis can lead to various complications in the human body, for example, to the formation of cysts, cancer, diabetes mellitus or to the occurrence of bleeding.
The causes of the onset of the disease are diverse:
- An acute form of pancreatitis that has not been completely cured;
- alcoholism;
- cholecystitis, gastritis or gastric ulcer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- hepatitis or other infectious diseases;
- allergies.
In any case, inflammation can be both focal and spread to other organs and tissues, developing metabolic disorders.
We can say that pancreatitis develops both in acute and in chronic form, and chronic pancreatitis, the classification of which has not been properly created to date, can provoke serious deposition. It can only be argued that there is an induction, pseudocystic, pseudotumor, as well as calcifying pancreatitis. Recurrent chronic pancreatitis, characterized by periods of exacerbation of the disease, and primary chronic pancreatitis, which is characterized by the absence of signs of pancreatic inflammation, are also distinguished.
There are three stages in the development of a disease such as chronic pancreatitis :
1. The initial stage. Pain occurs in the upper abdomen, left hypochondrium, while the pain is not constant.
2. External secretory insufficiency of the gland .. The pain syndrome subsides, digestive upset occurs.
3. Stage of complication of the disease. Hypoglycemia develops, cysts may form and infectious complications may develop.
Thus, the symptoms of pancreatitis are diverse and depend on the stage of its development and form. So, it is customary to distinguish pancreatitis, accompanied by pain, as well as painless, fibrous and pseudo-humorous chronic pancreatitis . In any case, this disease in its chronic form takes a rather long period of time and is characterized by periods of calm and exacerbation.
Diagnosis of pancreatitis is carried out using:
- clinical signs of the disease;
- laboratory tests;
- amylase and lipase tests;
- X-ray and ultrasound.
When making a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, the symptoms, the treatment of which are interrelated, take into account the nature of the pain. So, depending on the symptoms and the degree of development of the disease, choose the appropriate treatment method. However, in all cases, treatment is aimed at restoring the pancreas gland and stopping its destruction. Moreover, in frequent cases, an appropriate diet is prescribed. Doctors use both medicines to cure patients and surgical intervention in cases of severe illness.
The prognosis is usually good if treatment is started on time. Therefore, consult a doctor, not expecting deterioration, if there is reason to fear for your pancreas.