With the development of such an unpleasant disease as pancreatitis, various pathologies resulting from this in the digestive system begin to develop in the human body. The inflammatory process in the pancreas can lead to the fact that those enzymatic components that are produced by it, cease to get into the intestinal region. Because of this, the process of digesting food is disrupted and characteristic symptoms begin to develop in the form of flatulence, constipation, vomiting, nausea, bloating and diarrhea. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with what to do with constipation in pancreatitis, what factors precede this unpleasant symptom and how to prevent their recurrence.
Provocative factors
The occurrence of constipation during an exacerbation of a disease such as pancreatitis, most often occurs due to the factors described below:
- Unbalanced, improper human diet.
- The presence of bad habits, for example, smoking, drinking alcohol.
- A sedentary or passive lifestyle.
- The development of concomitant ailments, for example, diabetes mellitus or chronic cholecystitis.
- Taking medications for a long time.
Before answering the question of what to do with constipation in pancreatitis, you should pay attention to the fact that the degree of load on the parenchymal gland directly depends on the choice of products for cooking. An unbalanced diet contributes to the aggravation of the pancreas, as well as the appearance of an inflammatory process in its cavity.
Maintaining a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle can provoke the development of various atrophic processes localized in the region of muscle fibers located in the intestine. But it is they who take part in the digestion process. In a normal state, these muscles push food into subsequent sections, and then the formed feces are brought out. In the case of atrophy, the muscle fibers weaken so much that they become unable to push the formed feces into the last section of the intestine, from where the bowel movement occurs.
With regard to bad habits, the greatest danger is the abuse of alcoholic beverages, smoking, overeating or fasting. You should also pay attention to the fact that the development of pancreatitis often occurs due to the progressive stage of cholecystitis or diabetes mellitus. Both pathologies together contribute to the development of dehydration and hardening of feces, which can cause constipation.
It must be remembered that when using certain medications, you should pay attention to their side effects. For example, in the treatment of pancreatitis, before using any medicine, you should carefully study the instructions, consult with your doctor about whether you can even use any means to combat the problem.
Causes of constipation
So that you never have a question about what to do with constipation with pancreatitis, you must avoid the reasons that can provoke it. In most cases, they occur in the acute form of the disease against the background of the prescribed diet, which consists in the use of protein products and the maximum failure of those foods that contain a large amount of carbohydrates and fats. And this will be a direct prerequisite for the accumulation of feces in the intestinal cavity, as well as the difficulty in removing it to the outside.
As for the chronic form of pancreatitis, in this case, most often a person has diarrhea. Constipation in this case is a fairly rare occurrence.
You should also pay attention to the fact that the use of analgesics and antispasmodics can provoke the appearance of drug constipation.
Constipation in acute pancreatitis
In acute pancreatitis or an exacerbation of chronic pancreatic pathology, constipation may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- The impossibility of bowel movements.
- The appearance of bloating and soreness in the abdomen.
- Poor gas discharge.
- A constant feeling of nausea.
- A small degree of yellowness of the skin.
- Absolute loss of appetite.
If we talk about the chronic form of this disease, then the above symptoms are also complemented by a sharp decrease in weight loss, a high level of nervousness. In addition, clogging of the formed feces can lead to the beginning of its rotting in the intestine, which can cause an infection process, which is accompanied by various rashes on the skin, headaches, as well as a constant feeling of tiredness.
Causes of constipation in chronic form
The provoking factors that contribute to the development of constipation in the chronic form of pancreatitis are as follows:
- Inadequate physical activity.
- Regular use of medications with analgesic effect.
- Hunger strikes and constant malnutrition.
Frequent constipation can trigger a complication such as hemorrhoids, which gives patients a lot of discomfort. That is why it is so important to start treatment of constipation with pancreatitis in time. But how to implement it?
Treatment features
Many people who suffer from this pathology do not know what to do with constipation in pancreatitis. Treatment can be carried out by various methods and methods. Initially, you need to seek help from your treating specialist, who must assess the severity of the clinical picture, and then - appoint the most effective method of treatment for the problem. As a rule, this technique, which is aimed at eliminating constipation, is as follows:
- The doctor gives nutrition tips for pancreatitis.
- The specialist will also advise drinking a sufficient amount of fluid per day.
- In addition, the use of folk remedies may be prescribed.
- The treatment is based on drug therapy using laxative medicines.
Medicines
When constipation occurs, many people wonder if laxatives are allowed for pancreatitis. Of course, laxative medicines are an approved way to get rid of constipation. In total, there are two varieties of medications laxative spectrum of exposure. These include the following:
- Medications that have an irritating effect, for example, Regulax, Bisacodyl, Guttalax. However, it must be remembered that laxatives with pancreatitis can be consumed no more than once a day. After use, the stool normalizes, usually after 2-7 hours. It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that prolonged use of these drugs can contribute to the development of addiction, as well as disturbance of the electrolyte balance in the body.
- Preparations of the most gentle spectrum of exposure. Such drugs include Dufalac, the price of which is quite affordable for ordinary patients. In addition, this remedy is prescribed for children who suffer from pancreatitis. Be sure to read the instructions for use "Dufalac" for constipation before using it. As a rule, all medications have contraindications. The price of Dufalac is about 300 rubles. There are also analogues of this tool, for example, Prelax or Lactusan.
Both chronic and acute constipation successfully pass in the case of treatment with prebiotics, which can weaken the hardened feces. They help to colonize beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microflora, which destroy various pathogenic microorganisms, removing toxins and toxins.
Folk remedies
So, we figured out how to deal with constipation in pancreatitis with medications. However, many experts advise to use traditional medicine recipes in combination. If you do not know what to do with constipation in pancreatitis, folk remedies in the form of herbs can relieve an unpleasant symptom. To eliminate it, it is recommended to use decoctions based on the following medicinal plants:
- Buckthorn.
- Forest hay.
- Yarrow.
- Horse sorrel.
To prepare the broth, you need to take one teaspoon of chopped grass, pour it with one glass of water. You should use the broth one glass at bedtime, preparing a new drink every day.
Diet
In parallel with the use of medicines and recipes of alternative medicine, a specialist should prescribe diet food. It must be balanced. In such a diet, there are products that do not contribute to pancreatic overload, for example:
- Sour-milk non-fat products.
- Baked or boiled vegetables.
- Vegetable soups.
- Wholemeal bread.
- Porridge.
- Turkey, beef, rabbit.
- Kissel, compote, carrot juice.
In parallel with this, it is necessary to exclude the following foods from your diet:
- Confectionery sweets.
- Bakery products made on the basis of the highest grades of flour, including crackers.
- Alcohol-containing and carbonated drinks.
- Fatty varieties of fish and meat, canned food.
- Radish, buckwheat, turnip.
- Grapes
All food should be steamed, by boiling or baking, while it is pre-crushed.
Prevention
Above, you can find the answer to the question why constipation torments patients with pancreatitis. We examined the features of the treatment of this symptom. But to avoid it, you should adhere to the prevention of constipation in pancreatitis. To prevent the recurrence of constipation, you must follow a proper diet, drink as much fluid as possible. A particular role in the prevention of constipation is played by certain methods of exercise therapy.
Physiotherapy
Since insufficient physical activity contributes to the development of muscle atrophy in the intestine, as well as the occurrence of constipation, exercise therapy methods are an excellent tool to maintain muscle tone and prevent the development of constipation. Therefore, experts recommend doing exercises in the mornings, running, walking a lot, doing fitness or swimming. With this lifestyle, the digestive process normalizes quickly, and constipation will not be scary.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that constipation with pancreatitis is a fairly common occurrence. However, this symptom can be overcome if you approach the treatment comprehensively. In addition to the use of medications, the specialist will prescribe the use of traditional medicine recipes to the patient and prescribe a specific diet. Do not ignore all these recommendations.