Understanding Pancreatitis and its Symptoms
Description of Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a very serious condition which can occur in the body. It involves the pancreas, which usually loses function during the condition and can cause serious debilitating pain. The pancreas is very important in the metabolic processes of the body and is required to keep blood glucose levels in check as well as breaking down fats for energy. During pancreatitis, the pancreas will inflame and will either over produce or not produce enough of the enzymes which it uses to manage the metabolic processes of the body. By inflaming, it becomes less efficient or simple stops working altogether.
The Causes of Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis can be caused by a wide range of different situations. Each situation can lead to a worse or sudden case in which the body has impaired pancreatic function. The most common situations are with acute pancreatitis which often happens out of the blue because of sudden changes in the body. A gradual change and decrease in function of the pancreas is often known as chronic pancreatitis which is due to long periods of inflamed pancreatic tissue and lowered function. The following are all causes of pancreatitis and can easily contribute to the two types of pancreatitis:
Poor Diet – One of the main causes of pancreatitis is a poor diet. This can be simply the addition of too many foods high in fats and sugars or starches. The pancreas works very hard to produce the necessary enzymes to deal with the large amounts of artery clogging and over sweetened foods. These enzymes are specially designed to break down these ingested foods into energy sources which can be used by the body. Overproduction of these enzymes can lead to a shutdown of the pancreas and can easily cause inflammation which results in pancreatitis.
Not Enough Exercise – Exercise is very important to the health of the body. Not getting enough exercise prompts the body to work at a much less efficient amount including major organs such as the pancreas. The pancreas works better when exercise occurs. This provides it with the strength needed to produce insulin and the appropriate amounts of enzymes which manage how food is used in the body.
Gallbladder Problems – The Gallbladder is one of the body parts which has several problems which tend to occur within it. One of these problems is the most common which is gallbladder stones. These stones are often produced and passed too large to easily go through the appropriate drainage duct which happens to be shared by the pancreas. This can block the drainage of fluids, enzymes and cause an infection when there is so much irritation in the area. This can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, resulting in pancreatitis.
Use of Drugs – Several drugs available both by prescription and over the counter can lead to pancreatitis. These drugs can be difficult to pinpoint but often times include diuretics, steroids and other drug compounds. These can easily alter the way that the pancreas works within the system and can cause an acute pancreatitis attack which could be severed due to the amount of the drugs in the system.
Alcohol Consumption – One of the most damaging pastimes towards the pancreas is consuming alcohol. The body treats alcohol as a toxin/poison and wishes to expel it as quickly as possible. This is why frequent urination, sweating, heavy respiration and other bodily functions try to remove the alcohol as quickly as possible. One of the organs which help is the pancreas. It produces a special enzyme which helps to break down alcohol into easier to dispose of parts which are then disposed. This heavily works the pancreas and a heavy night of drinking or many consecutive days of drinking could easily cause a breakdown in the function of the pancreas. This can easily lead to pancreatitis.
Severe Trauma – Trauma to any part of the body is damaging. Trauma in the location near or directly towards the pancreas is dangerous. Trauma can cause damages which may impair the function of the pancreas as well as cause swelling and other complications. This leads to pancreatitis which could progressively become more difficult to treat. It can also be deadly if infection sets in.
Viral Infection – Many different viruses can target the pancreas and cause it to swell. The swelling of the pancreas due to viral infections can cause damages as well as prevent the pancreas from working correctly. Since viruses cannot be killed, only the symptoms of the virus can be treated until it runs its course and no longer becomes a threat.
Symptoms and signs of Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is known to cause a large range of symptoms which vary in degree of pain and severity. Some people can also have high pain tolerance which allows them to “walk it out” which is generally very dangerous because they may skip the opportunity to seek treatment before it is too late. The following symptoms and signs are representations of what could possibly be pancreatitis:
Severe Upper Abdominal Pain – Upper abdominal pain is common with many different ailments. What sets the pain apart during pancreatitis is the fact that the pain feels like a boring or burning sensation which may be constant or comes and goes in waves. The pain could be severe and debilitating with each pass and may seem to go away but come back with a vengeance.
Radiation of Pain through to the Back – The same abdominal pain could easily spread to the back, kidneys and spinal area. The severe pain could leave someone feeling crippled and unable to move, making it difficult to seek help or reach a phone to call an ambulance. If their condition is very bad, it can cause them to go into a coma and slip into shock with possible fatal results.
Nausea and Vomiting – The condition will tell the body to try and relieve itself from the excess food that is being processed in the stomach. The nausea will set in with an increase in salivation and a locking sensation in the jaw then a violent vomiting may occur. This can occur until there is simply only bile left in the stomach. This often leads to dehydration, especially because water cannot be kept down.
High Fever – A fever can be very high as the body is trying its best to cope with the condition. A high fever can be very damaging to the body and it can be caused by the excess toxins in the body due to alcohol or excess enzymes in the blood stream.
High Blood Pressure – When pain is prominent, blood pressure can soar to unexpected heights which can result in a stroke or heart attack. Pancreatitis can cause pain for many people which could make blood pressure rise very high.
Low Blood Pressure – Internal bleeding is a possibility and dehydration can easily cause the blood pressure to drop during a pancreatitis episode. This could also lead to problems with the heart and the ability to transfer oxygen to essential organs. This could result in the person fainting or going into a coma as well.
Elevated Heart and Respiratory Rates – The heart will be working hard to try and fix the problem by routing clean oxygen within the system. The heart rate as well as how fast the person is breathing may increase in an attempt to aid in the correction of the problem.
Abdominal Tenderness – Tenderness in the abdomen is usually not avoidable because the pancreas will be inflamed as well as the intestines or other organs. The tenderness is caused by the pain receptors being depressed during an examination.
Bowel Reflex Paralysis – The absence of the normal noises which are created by the bowels is usually caused by paralysis of the bowel reflexes. This can be dangerous because it can halt the movement of food and cause infection to set in.
Detecting Pancreatitis
Detecting pancreatitis is done in several different ways. The most common will involve simple visual and medical examination due to the symptoms of the patient. To verify, simple blood tests can be performed to understand the readings of two very important enzymes:
Amylase – the enzyme amylase is used to break down starches into sugars which can be used by insulin to produce energy. A high concentration of amylase in the blood tips to pancreatitis and pancreas problems. Other reasons why this enzyme is released include diabetes and over consumption of sweets.
Lipase – the enzyme lipase is one of the most produced enzymes by the pancreas. It is used to break down fats and oils into energy. High concentrations of lipase can show that the person has a very high fat and cholesterol diet and can be an indicator of pancreatitis.
Treatment for Pancreatitis and Patient Outlook
Pancreatitis can be treated and it normally survivable with a high chance of total recovery for most people. The treatment will usually involve increasing the liquid and electrolyte content of the blood for hydration through an intravenous line. The management of pain is done on an as needed basis. Restriction of diet and removal of risky drugs and alcohol are required for a faster recovery as well as a higher chance of survival and prevention of pancreatitis in the future. When all of the appropriate steps are taken, fatalities from the condition can be avoided even in chronic cases.