Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation): treatment, diet

Pancreatitis of the pancreas is a very serious disease in which the gland is damaged, and in the future this leads to metabolic changes. Today we consider the causes of this ailment, how to deal with it, what methods to use.

The causes of the disease

The diagnosis of pancreatic pancreatitis in our time is a fairly common occurrence. But why are people increasingly suffering from it? You will understand everything when you find out the reasons that stimulate the appearance of this ailment.

1. Bust with alcoholic drinks.
2. Improper nutrition, namely the frequent use of salty, spicy and fatty foods.
3. Excess weight.
4. Concomitant diseases, such as: cholecystitis, hepatitis, cholelithiasis, ulcers, gastritis, swelling.
5. Pancreatic surgery or injury to it.
6. Smoking
7. Food allergy.
8. Heredity.
9. Taking medications, after which the disease appears (tetracyclines, cytostatics, sulfonamides).

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis

With this form of the disease, the free outflow of pancreatic juice is disrupted, it ceases to be digested by its own enzymes. For a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, the following are characteristic:

1. Strong pain. It occurs in the left side of the abdomen, and after a while it spreads to the entire abdomen.
2. Nausea and even vomiting.
3. Blood pressure is disorganized.
4. The understanding of reality is violated.
5. A shock condition may occur.

These symptoms are too serious to treat the disease at home. Therefore, in acute pancreatitis , an ambulance should be called urgently. An experienced surgeon should examine the patient and, without fail, identify him in the hospital for further treatment and observation. It is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid pancreatic surgery in the acute form of the disease.

Chronic pancreatitis: symptoms and treatment in the initial period

The signs of this type of disease are not so scary and do not require immediate assistance. Now we will consider what chronic pancreatitis is, the symptoms and treatment of this type of disease.

To begin with, it is necessary to distinguish two periods in chronic inflammation:

1. Elementary.
2. The period of apparent damage to the pancreas.

The first period can last a long time - up to 10 years. Symptoms for this period:

1. Pain syndrome. The pain can be localized in the upper and middle abdomen, in the left lumbar region and even in the region of the heart. Most often, such unpleasant sensations occur 15–20 minutes after eating.
2. Nausea, vomiting is possible.
3. Bloating.
4. Diarrhea.

The first item is observed in patients often, but the rest may not occur. Even if a symptom appears, then with the help of drugs you can quickly alleviate the condition.

Pancreatic Damage Period

Here the signs are of this nature:

1. The pains are not so obvious as in the first case.
2. In this case, dyspeptic syndrome predominates: heartburn, belching, nausea, bloating.
3. There is a maldigestion syndrome. This is when there is a violation of the digestion of food to those particles that would be absorbed.
4. There is a malabsorption syndrome. In this case, the absorption mechanism in the small intestine is completely disrupted.

For maldigestion and malabsorption, the following symptoms are characteristic:

• fetid, plentiful stools;
• weight loss;
• decreased vision in the evening;
• gum bleeding appears;
• conjunctivitis, stomatitis, and itching of the skin may occur;
• anemia develops;
• due to the fact that there is a violation of the absorption of calcium, there are cramps and bone pain;
• neuropsychic arousal;
• the appearance of cold sweat;
• trembling in the body;
• dry skin
• there is a feeling of constant thirst.

It is necessary to treat chronic pancreatitis in order to avoid pancreatic surgery. Therapy should be adequate and reasonable. Only after passing all the necessary tests, as well as consulting with a doctor, therapy can be prescribed. Now we will consider what diagnostics the patient must undergo in order for the picture of the disease to become clear.

Disease recognition

The following types of diagnostics will give a complete picture of the disease:

1. Ultrasonography. Pancreatic ultrasound for pancreatitis is an integral analysis procedure. This type of diagnosis shows how much it is increased in size, shows the heterogeneity of the structure, the possible presence of cysts and expansion of the ducts. The accuracy of this study is 80–85%. This is not a very high result, so laboratory tests should also be taken.
2. Computed and magnetic resonance imaging. Such types of diagnostics, as in the first case, show how much the pancreas is enlarged. In addition, with the help of such studies, malignant formations, pseudocysts, and lesions of neighboring organs can be detected.
3. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. This is the most accurate procedure, which shows almost 100% result. Plus, this type of diagnosis is the cheapest of the above. True, there is a minus: this method is not the most pleasant, and in some cases painful.

What tests must be done to make a diagnosis?

In addition to the above methods for recognizing a disease, the doctor gives directions for passing such studies:

1. General blood analysis. His results show signs of inflammation and possible anemia.
2. Blood donation to determine blood sugar. Such an analysis is necessary to find out whether diabetes is present in the patient.
3. General urine analysis. Shows possible kidney disease.
4. An electrocardiogram and echocardiography exclude heart disease.

After passing the above tests, the picture will be clearly visible, as well as the diagnosis of pancreatic pancreatitis is made or not.

The role of specialists in the treatment of the disease

Pancreatitis of the pancreas requires proper treatment. Therefore, the patient should not be consulted by one doctor, but by several, so that a general picture of his condition develops, and the doctors prescribed him the correct therapy.

The patient should come to a consultation with such specialists:

1. Gastroenterologist. He prescribes treatment.
2. To the surgeon. The help of this specialist is needed if the pain does not stop or there are any complications.
3. Endocrinologist. It is necessary if the patient has diabetes mellitus.
4. To the cardiologist. Consultation with this specialist is necessary to exclude possible pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

The result of treatment will depend on the qualifications of doctors. Therefore, you need to choose the best of the best in their fields. You can ask about the experience of doctors, how many operations they performed, whether there are any statistics. Your health is in your hands. And because of how skilled the specialist is, the speed and effectiveness of your treatment and speedy recovery will depend on 80%.

Principles of proper nutrition for pancreatitis. Diet

With this disease, it is important to follow certain rules regarding nutrition. Since the well-being of the patient will depend on the quality and quantity of food taken. The following principles you need to know:

1. You need to eat food at least 5-6 times a day. You need to eat a little, in small portions.
2. It is best to eat mashed foods. The fact is that with such a serving of the dish, the mucous membrane of the stomach will not be irritated.
3. Proteins (150 grams per day) should prevail in the diet. The amount of fat should not be more than 80 grams per day. Carbohydrates also need to be careful.
4. Taboo is too hot or, conversely, cold dishes.
5. During an exacerbation of the condition, it is advisable to completely abandon any food for at least one day.

Now consider what foods have a beneficial effect on the state of the pancreas.

List of Recommended Products

The main condition for a disease such as pancreatic pancreatitis is a diet. This is the main principle of treatment. What is the essence of a diet? In use only those products and dishes that will not irritate the mucous membrane of the pancreas. The following products can and should be consumed by people suffering from this type of inflammation.

1. Yesterday’s stale wheat bread.
2. Secondary chicken or beef broth soup.
3. Meat: chicken, veal, turkey. Method of preparation: boil, bake in the oven. The meat should not contain any seasonings.
4. Steamed fish, cooked or baked in the oven.
5. Dairy products with a low fat content.
6. Boiled vegetables. If you want raw, then only in grated form.
7. Different types of pasta.
8. Groats (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal).
9. Baked fruits (apples and pears in mind).
10. Jelly.
11. Stewed fruit, jelly, weak tea.

List of foods that are contraindicated in pancreatitis

1. Primary meat or fish broths. That is, fatty, high-calorie.
2. Millet should not be eaten from cereals.
3. Fatty varieties of meat, fish, poultry.
4. From vegetables, taboo for radish, radish, cabbage, sorrel and spinach.
5. Fresh bread or any pastry.
6. Various types of sausages, canned food.
7. Alcoholic drinks.
8. Ice cream.
9. Strong tea, coffee.

The use of the above products will lead to a negative outcome, which is called "inflammation of the pancreas" (pancreatitis, simply put). In order not to play roulette with your health, remember the foods that are forbidden to eat with this disease. After all, dieting is already 60% of the positive outcome of the course of the disease.

Treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Therapy of this disease is aimed at reducing the amount of bile. Pancreatitis of the pancreas, the treatment of which is reduced only to the use of special tablets, will give a temporary result. And if, in addition to this, the patient will eat right, follow a diet, then this will be almost a 100% guarantee of a successful recovery.

But now let us dwell on drugs that help fight this disease.

So, medications that help remove muscle spasm:

1. These are pills for the pancreas. Pancreatitis is treated with the following antispasmodics: No-Shpa, Spazmoverin, Spazmol.
2. The substance for the preparation of dosage forms "Papaverine".

The following drugs reduce the secretion of gastric juice:

1. Capsules Omeprazole.
2. Tablets "Ranitidine", "Famotidine".

The following drugs normalize the digestion process and regulate pancreatic function. "Allohol", "Pancreatin", "Phenipentol" - these are tablets from the pancreas. Pancreatitis is not a sentence.

Also, for the treatment of pancreatitis, drugs are prescribed that inhibit the production of pancreatic enzymes. Among these drugs, the Aprotinin solution is often used.

If severe pain is present or a person loses weight, then hospitalization and further therapy are possible strictly under the supervision of specialists. Surgical intervention is prescribed if the pancreas is no longer subject to therapy. Treatment, diet with a severe defeat will not help. Only the removal of one part of it will save from further destruction.

This is not to say that after medical treatment, a full recovery occurs. It’s sad to say, but pancreatitis cannot be completely cured. But in order for the pancreas to not continue to break down, it is important to undergo treatment, as well as follow a strict diet, which was described above.

Treatment of acute pancreatitis

This type of disease requires hospitalization. In a hospital, the patient is prescribed the following therapy:

1. An intravenous infusion of drugs that will help cleanse the blood of toxins and pancreatic enzymes.
2. Pain medication.
   
3. Pills that will destroy the enzymes of the gland. For example, Cordox tablets.
4. Medicines against vomiting.
5. Antibiotics.
6. Antispasmodics.

In addition, therapy includes:

1. Complete interruption of nutrition through the mouth for up to 6 days. This is necessary so that the activity of the pancreas is temporarily suspended.
2. Intravenous nutrition.
3. Artificial activation of urination so that toxic substances are more likely to leave the body with urine.
4. Bowel lavage.

Pancreatitis Prevention

So that there is no relapse, and the disease does not crush you again, it is important to observe the following rules:

1. Eat properly. Compliance with diet is the most important condition for maintaining pancreatic health.
2. A categorical ban on all types of alcoholic beverages.
3. Stop smoking.
4. Reduce physical activity. Running, jumping, visiting the baths and saunas are bad for the pancreas. The ideal option is breathing exercises and massage.

From the article, you learned what constitutes a disease called pancreatic pancreatitis. They determined what methods to treat this ailment, as well as how to recognize the disease. We realized that a strict diet is the key to a speedy recovery of the patient.