Pancreas. Symptoms of diseases

The pancreas is a complex organ of internal and external secretion. It is located behind the stomach, on the back abdominal wall, has a tail, body and head. Its length reaches 15 cm.

The function of the pancreas consists in the production of glycogen and insulin hormones, which regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates. Impossible and normal operation of the digestive system without pancreatic juice, which helps to ensure that fats, carbohydrates and proteins are broken down into simple elements and well absorbed through the blood and small intestine. Within 24 hours of this juice can stand out from 300 ml and up to 1770 ml.

When the work of such an organ as the pancreas is disrupted, the diseases that doctors often have to face are pancreatitis in acute and chronic form.

Depending on how much the pancreas is inflamed, the symptoms of the disease, its course, and also the outcome may differ.

Pancreatitis distinguishes between acute and chronic. When the pancreas is inflamed, the symptoms at the time of exacerbation may indicate an extremely serious form of the disease. It begins vigorously: a person feels sharp girdling pains at the top of the abdomen, which are given in the back. They are paroxysmal or persistent and so intense that they can lead to shock or collapse. Also, the patient experiences severe nausea, tears and stomach is swollen.

If the pancreas is sick, the symptoms listed above should be the reason for an urgent emergency call. Before her arrival, the patient should lie with cold on the upper half of the abdomen.

If no timely treatment has been performed, acute pancreatitis can go to chronic. Complaints of the patient in this case do not differ much from the previous ones. Chronically ill pancreas has the same symptoms, but they are not so intense: dull, aching pains are localized at the top of the abdomen, slightly to the left. They also give in the back, neck, collarbone, heart and are accompanied by such dyspeptic phenomena as nausea, lack of appetite, belching, vomiting( sometimes indomitable), drooling. A person loses weight sharply, constipation often gives way to diarrhea, stools become abundant, fatty, clay-like, gray with the smell of rot. If the enlarged pancreas, or rather its head, squeezes the bile duct, jaundice can be observed.

Chronic pancreatitis often occurs in elderly people, they are mostly sick with women. It develops gradually under the influence of a variety of reasons:

- irregular nutrition,

- ingestion of alcohol-containing drinks,

- abuse of food too acute and oily.

All this is exacerbated by the parallel presence of other internal organs in the patient, especially if they had surgery, and also when the blood vessels are chronically impaired in the pancreatic vessels.

If during an acute exacerbation an immediate hospitalization is required, then in case of chronic illness it is possible to be treated at home.

The main point in overcoming any pancreas diseases is diet compliance. The special diet excludes the use of marinades, alcohol, fatty foods, fried and spicy, chocolate, cakes, pastries, baked goods, tea, cocoa, strong broths, coffee. Limiting the addition of salt in the dishes. In order not to provoke another attack, one should not eat cold food and drink even during remission, everything should be given to the patient in a warmed state. Take food in small portions, but twice as often as usual. Wrapping dishes are useful: kefir, pumpkin porridge, semolina, oat and rice cereals, potato puree.

Visual signs of pancreatic disease must necessarily be accompanied by additional diagnostic methods: laboratory studies in a hospital.