Therapeutic fasting for pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a disease that should never be ignored. Treatment of pathology should be systematic and correct. It can only be recommended by a medical professional. So drugs for this disease, oddly enough, are of secondary importance. In the first place comes a specialized diet, the purpose of which is to restore the correct functioning of the pancreas. Also, in certain cases, doctors recommend therapeutic fasting for pancreatitis. How effective is it and how to correctly introduce it into your life? We will try to understand and answer these and other questions.

About pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a type of pancreatic disease that is associated with the development of inflammatory processes in the tissues of the gland against the background of the release of too many digestive enzymes. The pancreas is a very important organ that provides the supply of active substances to the intestines - enzymes responsible for ensuring that proteins, fats and carbohydrates entering the human body with any food could be broken down and then absorbed into the intestines and used by the body for its own needs.

With the malfunctioning of the gland, there is a disruption in the functioning of the digestive system as a whole. For example, in the presence of problems associated with tissue inflammation, the gland begins to actively produce enzymes for digestion, which are not used for their intended purpose due to their excess. Thus, they are activated immediately inside the organ and begin to digest it. There may also be problems with the patency of the duct for enzymes, which means that the latter cannot normally enter the intestine and again negatively affect the walls of the organ itself.

On a note! The pancreas has another function - the production of hormones (for example, insulin) that control a number of processes in the body. If you have problems with the work of the organ, you can earn diabetes if you do not deal with the treatment of diseases.

The reasons for the development of pancreatitis are, first of all, malnutrition, that is, the use of large amounts of fatty and carbohydrate-containing foods, as well as overeating. It has a negative effect on the state of the pancreas and the use of large amounts of alcohol, as well as its regular drinking. Doctors even identify a separate form of pancreatitis - alcoholic. Surgical intervention, taking a number of medications, obesity, etc. can also provoke the onset of the disease.

The main signs and types of the disease

The main signs of pancreatitis include:

• burning and severe pain in the hypochondrium on the left side. The pain is paroxysmal and may have a shingles in nature. They appear suddenly, but usually after eating for 20-30 minutes or after alcoholic libations;
• nausea, and then vomiting, which does not give the person relief and does not improve his condition;
• flatulence and bloating;
• loss or deterioration of appetite in general;
• diarrhea, and in some cases constipation;
• with a strong inflammatory process, the temperature may rise.

On a note! Note that all these signs are fully manifested only with exacerbation of pancreatitis, that is, in its acute form (the so-called attack of pancreatitis). In the chronic course of the pathology, the signs are not obvious and subtle. The person, in general, feels a little discomfort, sometimes he is faced with diarrhea, a general deterioration of the condition, etc.

Physicians conditionally divide people suffering from acute pancreatitis into 4 categories. You can get acquainted with them in the table.

Table. Classification of acute pancreatitis depending on clinical symptoms

Light form: In patients with this form, slight slight pains under the ribs are noted, and nausea may be present. Vomiting is rare and not excruciating with some relief. On the part of the state of other organs, there are no special changes. The temperature rises extremely rarely and, as a rule, does not exceed 37 degrees. Treatment is conservative and helps to quickly improve the patient's condition.

Moderate severity: Patients at this stage of the disease have severe pain syndrome, nausea, accompanied by repeated vomiting, which does not bring relief. Bloating is observed. At this stage, changes in the state of the blood are already noted (the number of leukocytes increases, while the number of lymphocytes becomes less). In urine, doctors can detect protein and even red blood cells.

Severe condition: People with severe acute pancreatitis are admitted to hospitals in serious condition with very severe and severe abdominal pain. They have circulatory problems, intoxication, pale skin. There is an obvious bloating of the abdomen, there is no intestinal peristalsis. It is recommended to immediately start conservative therapy, as the active destruction of the pancreas begins.

Severe destructive forms of the disease: Patients with this form are admitted to clinics in a critical condition, they have severe intoxication, problems with the cardiovascular system, peritonitis. Such patients need to be operated on, since conservative treatment is useless in most cases. It is important to understand that in the absence of help, death is possible in the near future.

It is not easy to make an accurate diagnosis in the presence of pancreatitis, since the symptoms of the disease have a large percentage of similarities with the symptoms observed in other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. That is why it is important not to self-medicate, but to go to the clinic. After the initial examination of the patient and the collection of anamnesis, the doctor will prescribe a series of examinations and tests, after which he will be able to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe a suitable treatment. Moreover, therapy may differ depending on the general condition of the person, individual characteristics, etc.

Treatment of the disease

There are not so many tactics for treating pancreatitis. But therapy begins, as a rule, with taking certain medications prescribed by a doctor, as well as a diet. In any case, doctors do not immediately send anyone to surgery, except in special cases. Surgery is rarely used.

On a note! On the first day of treatment, doctors cannot always immediately determine the stage of the disease. But, nevertheless, the treatment begins immediately. And chances are good that it will be effective.

The task of doctors is to eliminate the pain syndrome and start the proper functioning of the gland. In this they are helped by therapeutic fasting, a special diet, detoxification therapy, and taking special drugs.

Therapeutic fasting as a type of therapy for pancreatitis

Many doctors agree that the role of fasting in the treatment of this disease is very large. It is also effectively used in the treatment of other pathologies - for example, cholecystitis. The cause of pancreatitis, as noted above, is mainly due to poor diet.

Fasting with pancreatitis helps to put the pancreas into a state of rest and stop the active production of digestive enzymes by this organ. That is, the gland practically does not participate in the work of the digestive system, since it simply has nothing to do, because food does not enter the digestive tract.

On a note! Fasting also inhibits the production of stomach acid and bile. Not only the gland, but all other organs of the digestive system are switched to "sleep" mode. All the energy spent on the digestion of food is directed to the restoration of the affected organs.

Doctors recommend fasting at any stage of pancreatitis, especially during an exacerbation of the disease, when the inflammatory process is active. In any case, the attending gastroenterologist assumes control over the fasting process. You cannot go on a hunger strike on your own. You can harm your health, as in some cases it can backfire.

Contraindications

But not everyone can fast. Some categories of patients cannot resort to this method of treating pancreatitis. These include:

• people with hypotension;
• patients with anemia;
• pregnant women;
• suffering from gout;
• people who have low blood sugar.

With caution, you need to resort to fasting in the presence of gastritis. Here, opinions on the benefits of a hunger strike vary. Most doctors believe that the most effective method would be to use a fractional nutrition system, but complete fasting is not recommended.

If a person has diabetes, then fasting should be discussed with a specialist. Many doctors believe that it can be dangerous if you have such a disease.

Pregnant women are prohibited from starving; maximum you can not eat for about 1-2 days. But in the presence of pancreatitis, the pregnant woman should not be allowed to starve. So in this case, this therapy will not work.

Recommendations for the use of fasting

Usually, a therapeutic diet is used to treat pancreatitis. It implies a complete rejection of fatty, spicy foods. Food cannot be fried, it is allowed to steam it, boil it, sometimes bake it. For the most part, protein foods will be included in the patient's menu. It is also important to grind and grind food thoroughly and chew it well while eating. It is recommended to eat about 5-6 times a day in very small portions.

Important! When treating pancreatitis, it is recommended to drink as much clean water as possible - about 2 liters a day.

Preference is given to fish, lean meats, poultry. You can eat fermented milk products, cooked vegetables, it is recommended to bake fruits, and dry bread. As for drinks, you can drink those that are prepared on the basis of plants, fruits, but only natural. Carbonated drinks are completely excluded, as are alcohol.

Therapeutic fasting for pancreatitis usually does not last long, but depending on the form of the disease, its principles will differ. For example, during an exacerbation, it is recommended to fast only in a hospital setting. For the first 2-3 days, the patient can only take warm mineral non-carbonated water, rosehip decoction, food must be completely abandoned. Such measures will help calm the pancreas and start the normal processes of its work, as well as the processes of repairing its tissues.

In the presence of a chronic form of pancreatitis, when the symptoms are mild, doctors recommend refusing food for prevention no more than once every 7 days. Such a fasting day is usually tolerated very easily. On the second day, it is recommended to drink water and vegetable broths. You can eat vegetable soups.

Important! During the period of therapeutic fasting, it is important to observe bed rest.

There is also the so-called dry fasting. It is used in the acute form of pancreatitis. In this case, the patient should not even drink water for a couple of days. Then you can gradually move on to dietary nutrition.

Timing

Doctors can recommend very different terms of hunger strike. Some even recommend fasting only if vomiting is present until it stops. Someone advises maintaining a hunger regime for a couple of days. Someone recommends holding for about 3-4 days. In the case of prolonged fasting, special substances must be injected into the patient's body, which will reduce the secretion of the pancreas.

On a note! As practice shows, in the treatment of pancreatitis, fasting is tolerated by patients quite easily.

The timing of fasting in general will depend on the stage of the disease, the severity of the condition and the individual characteristics of the human body. Sometimes, doctors may even recommend a 15-day skip. But it is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor in a hospital.

Entering and exiting fasting

The abrupt onset of fasting is a great stress for the body. It is shown only in case of an attack of pancreatitis. In the period of remission before fasting, you need to gradually reduce the amount of food eaten, reducing it to nothing and increasing the frequency of eating. All food eaten must be thoroughly chopped.

You need to get out of fasting strictly according to the rules so as not to worsen the condition of the body. Completion should be gradual. First, broths appear on the menu, gradually - vegetable purees. It is important to start feeding by sucking in small portions, otherwise it will be difficult for the body to digest food. Slowly but surely, the patient will return to his usual diet. It is important not to overeat in the process of getting out of fasting.

It should be understood that, even after finishing a hunger strike and improving your condition with a diet, with pancreatitis you will still have to stop eating many foods. You cannot return alcohol to your menu, a lot of fatty, salty, spicy food, and you should not eat a lot of sweets. Some principles of the diet will have to be adhered to even if the patient does not feel obvious signs of the disease and generally feel good.

Video - Therapeutic fasting for pancreatitis

As we can see, fasting for the treatment of pancreatitis is not only not prohibited, but even recommended by specialists. Moreover, it can last quite a long time, but under the supervision of a doctor. It is not recommended to independently make the decision to start fasting, as it can provoke a worsening of the condition. You can stop the hunger strike during an exacerbation only after the vomiting and nausea have subsided.