Throughout life, the human body experiences severe stress. He has to confront infectious agents and viruses, fight the activity of pathogenic flora. There is a whole group of diseases whose development can be prevented. To do this, you need to eat right and adhere to a healthy lifestyle. One of these ailments is steatosis. The causes, symptoms and treatments for this disease will be presented to your attention in today's article.
Pancreatic steatosis: what is it?
To answer this question, you need to delve into the anatomy of the digestive system. It is represented by several organs, among which the pancreas deserves special attention. It has many functions:
- Participation in the digestion process (production of enzymes necessary for this process).
- Regulation of the endocrine system (carbohydrate metabolism, insulin production).
- Reaction to pathological changes in the body.
The functioning of the main systems of internal organs depends on the work of the pancreas. Her involvement in the pathological process necessarily affects the health of the whole organism.
Very often, people who prefer junk food develop pancreatic steatosis. This is a serious disease in which organ cells are replaced by fatty elements. Its main danger lies in the fact that at first there are no obvious symptoms of the pathological process. The patient may not be aware of health problems for many years.
What is the mechanism of development of this ailment? Under the influence of certain factors, the gland cells begin to die. The immune system gives a reaction to this process. She begins to actively develop fatty elements that occupy the vacant places in the body. Thanks to this replacement, the shape of the gland is preserved, but its primary functions are lost.
Five main causes of steatosis
The development of the disease can trigger:
- Improper nutrition (eating salty, fatty or fried foods).
- Harmful habits (smoking, drinking alcohol).
- Acute or chronic form of cholecystitis.
- Various pathological ailments of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Cholelithiasis.
Pancreatic steatosis is sometimes hereditary. If close relatives have been diagnosed with the disease, the likelihood of its occurrence increases several times. The most susceptible to the pathological process in the pancreas are people of mature age. The risk group includes men and women over 60 years of age, as well as alcohol abusers.
First symptoms
Pancreatic steatosis was not considered a disease for a very long time. In the initial stages of replacing healthy organ cells with fat, patients do not experience health problems. Relatively recently, doctors have found that this condition is not entirely harmless. If you pay attention to the slightest changes in eating behavior, you can notice the first signs of pancreatic steatosis.
The disease begins its development with the appearance of heartburn after eating, flatulence and bloating. In addition, many patients report an allergic reaction to certain product categories. When the pathological process spreads over large areas of the gland (more than 30% of its volume), the clinical picture is supplemented by new symptoms. Among them should be noted:
- Tinea pain under the chest, which radiates to the back.
- Constant weakness throughout the body.
- Lack of appetite
- Itchy skin.
If fat elements have managed to replace most of the organ, the patient develops vomiting and other gastrointestinal problems. The pancreas can no longer cope with its functions, it ceases to produce the necessary amount of enzymes. Only at this stage, patients decide to seek the help of a doctor.
Medical Examination and Diagnostics
If you suspect pancreatic steatosis, you should immediately go to an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Diagnosis of this disease begins with a survey of the patient. It is important for the doctor to know exactly when the malaise appeared, how the patient eats, whether he has bad habits. After studying the patient's history, he is sent for a comprehensive examination. It usually consists of the following procedures:
- Ultrasound of the pancreas (allows you to identify echogenic sites).
- A blood test (with steatosis, the level of alpha-amylase is several times higher than normal).
- Organ MRI (helps to exclude malignant neoplasms).
- X-ray using contrast (allows you to study all the ducts of the body, their condition).
If, after receiving the results of the examination, the doctor doubts the preliminary diagnosis, an additional laparoscopy with a biopsy is prescribed. With the help of this study, you can accurately say whether the pancreas is healthy, and also determine the type of lesion.
Two types of disease are distinguished depending on the volume of cells involved in the pathological process: focal and diffuse. The first type is manifested by single fatty deposits. Diffuse pancreatic steatosis affects the entire organ, so pathological infiltrates are visualized in all tissues. After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment. It can be both medical and operational.
Conservative Therapies
The severity of the disease determines the tactics of treatment. With a minor lesion, when the organ retains the ability to fully function, therapy is limited to taking medications and dieting. How to treat the pancreas? To normalize the digestive system, the following drugs are prescribed:
- Enzymes ("Creon", "Digestal", "Festal"). Their use contributes to filling the lack of substances that help the process of digestion of food.
- Proton pump inhibitors (Omeprazole, Lansoprazole). Long-term medication can reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
- Blockers of absorption ("Xenical", "Ideal"). The main effect of these medicines is aimed at accelerating the removal of fats from the intestines.
Drug treatment, including the dosage of drugs and the duration of their administration, is selected individually.
The basic principles of diet
It is not possible to completely cure the disease. Damaged organ elements cannot be replaced with healthy cells. Can pancreatic steatosis be stopped? To slow the further progression of the disease, you must adhere to a strict diet for about three months.
Patients are advised to include lean meat and fish, cottage cheese, low-fat dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables in their diet. However, you will have to abandon alcoholic beverages, sweet and flour. Spicy and fatty foods are also prohibited. Diet with steatosis implies the observance of certain rules:
- You need to eat fractionally and in small portions (5-6 times a day).
- It is strictly forbidden to reduce the caloric content of the diet (at least 2600-2800 kcal per day).
- All products are preferably cooked in a double boiler or baked in the oven.
Without observing the above principles, it is impossible to suspend pancreatic steatosis. Diet, along with drug therapy allows you to achieve a positive result in the fight against this disease, to avoid surgical intervention.
Surgical treatment of steatosis
Surgical treatment involves an operation during which the doctor removes the lipomatous nodes. These neoplasms can compress intracecretory ducts and organ cells. Intervention is carried out using general anesthesia. The procedure itself is usually carried out in an endoscopic manner. Surgery is not used in every case. The operation is justified in the presence of large volume of fat accumulations, which prevent a full outflow of gland secretion.
Home treatment
Folk doctors also know how to treat the pancreas. The easiest way to stop unpleasant symptoms is to cook oatmeal jelly. To prepare it, you need to fill half a pack of Hercules with boiled water and leave it in a warm place. The liquid should cover all the flakes. After two days, the mass should be filtered, and the thick is thrown away. Kissel is cooked until cooked, more precisely, until bubbles appear on its surface. The resulting product must be poured into cups and put in the refrigerator. Every morning on an empty stomach you need to eat one such portion of jelly.
Prevention Methods
Pancreatic steatosis: what is it? A similar question today arises among many people. After reading this article, you can realize the whole danger of this disease. Is it possible to prevent its occurrence?
Prevention of steatosis consists of two directions: the treatment of diseases that could provoke its development, and the rejection of addictions. The thing is that smoking and alcohol abuse negatively affect the state of the pancreas. To bypass the disease, you must additionally observe the following recommendations:
- Regularly undergo preventive examinations by doctors.
- Monitor the diet, prevent the development of obesity.
- Adhere to an active lifestyle, play sports.
- Avoid stressful situations.
Everyone should know what the symptoms of pancreatic steatosis are. Treatment carried out at an early stage of the disease is almost always characterized by positive dynamics. If the patient adheres to a strict diet and takes pills, he has every chance to slow down the course of the disease. Otherwise, serious surgical intervention will be required. However, its results cannot be predicted.