Why does the pancreas hurt: causes, symptoms

The pancreas is an essential part of the digestive system. The proper functioning of the organ is the key to sufficient production of enzymes necessary for normal digestion and all the body's work.

Thanks to the development of special enzymes, the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates entering the human body along with food is ensured. Correct breakdown and redistribution of nutrients and trace elements contribute to good digestibility of food. In addition, it is the pancreas that produces insulin, which is indispensable for human life.

Reasons for the appearance of pancreatic pain:

• errors in nutrition, an abundance of fatty foods;
  

  The pancreas may hurt after eating fatty foods

• organ trauma: in an accident, during operations, or as a result of a strong blow;
• excessive alcohol consumption;
  

  Alcohol negatively affects the state of the pancreas

• taking medications: antibiotics, immunosuppressants, corticosteroids;
• lack of sufficient protein in the daily diet;
• the presence of stones in the bile ducts, liver disease;
  

  Bile duct stones

• various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that were not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.

How to eliminate aching pain

In the case when there is no doubt that the aching pain comes precisely from the pancreas, it must be eliminated. As a rule, such pains are a sign of a functional overload of the organ. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to remove the cause. Secondly, you can apply non-drug methods of dealing with abdominal pain.

Reducing the load on the pancreas will allow:

• minimal fat intake;
• fractional meals;
  

  Fractional nutrition

• complete rejection of alcohol;
• if you are overweight, you urgently need to take measures to lose weight;
  

  Losing weight mistakes

• quitting smoking;
• taking pancreatin with food.
  

  "Pancreatin"

How to deal with abdominal pain

Group of drugs	Name	Action
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs	Ibuprofen	Analgesic effect, reducing swelling and inflammation of the pancreas.
Antispasmodics	"No-shpa" "Drotaverin"	The musculature of the pancreatic ducts relaxes, the outflow of pancreatic juice is normalized.
Prokinetics	"Metoclopramide"	It is prescribed in a state of inhibition of intestinal motility.
Carminative agents	Espumisan, "Simethicone", "Meteospazmil"	Elimination of flatulence, which is a consequence of insufficient function of the pancreas.

How to properly relieve acute pain

If you experience acute pain in the pancreas or in the abdomen, you should immediately consult a doctor. In some cases, the manifestation of pain syndrome can be so acute that narcotic analgesics are prescribed in the hospital for its relief. But, as a rule, before getting into the hands of an experienced gastroenterologist, you will have to endure for some time, first before the arrival of an ambulance, then until a doctor is examined.

There are non-drug ways to eliminate acute pain:

• take a knee-elbow position, this will provide a decrease in the intensity of pain. This position relieves the pressure on the solar plexus, and the pain subsides;
  

  Knee-elbow position

• apply ice to the abdomen, this helps to reduce the functional activity of the organ;
  

  Applying an ice pack

• reduce physical activity to a minimum.
  

  In case of severe pain, it is better to lie down and rest, reduce physical activity to a minimum

In the future, you can connect the use of medicines indicated in the table above.

The most common pathologies of the pancreas

Pancreatic disease symptoms:

• the appearance of pain after fatty foods, overeating and drinking. In this case, most often there are pains of a girdle nature;
• the appearance of pain, accompanied by bouts of nausea and vomiting;
• with a disease of the pancreas, a sharp increase in body temperature is often noted;
• the appearance of unpleasant pain in the navel area when pressing on the abdomen;
• reduction of pain when bending forward;
• frequent diarrhea.

The biggest problem with diseases of the pancreas is that the symptoms characteristic of this pathology have a similar course with a number of other diseases. This often leads to a difficult formulation of the correct diagnosis and the initiation of adequate therapy. Time is running out, and most diseases of the pancreas are characterized by rapid development. Lack of timely treatment leads to the development of a chronic form of the disease. The most common pathologies of the pancreas include the following:

• pancreatitis,
  

  Pancreatitis

• diabetes,
• cystic neoplasms,
• cystic fibrosis,
  

  Cystic fibrosis

• oncological pathology,
• pancreatic necrosis.
  

  Pancreatic necrosis of the pancreas

Pancreatic diseases and symptoms

Disease	Painful sensations	Dyspeptic symptoms	Clinical picture
Chronic pancreatitis.	Painful sensations appear in the acute form of the disease.	Stool disorders: constipation, diarrhea. Attacks of nausea, vomiting if the diet prescribed by the doctor is not followed.	Exacerbations of the chronic course are caused by a violation of the diet.
Oncological diseases.	Painful sensations are localized at the site of the tumor and its size.	Frequent bouts of nausea, predominantly fatty stools of an unstable nature, the late stages of the disease are characterized by vomiting and profuse diarrhea.	The appearance of yellowness and pallor of the skin, a sharp loss in weight, up to exhaustion.
Cystic formations.	They are noted depending on the size of the cyst and their location. Also, pain may be absent.	Depends on localization: bloating and frequent stools in the presence of a cyst on the head of the pancreas, colorless feces, frequent constipation and nausea when the cyst is localized on the tail or body of the gland.	In the later stages of the disease, as well as in the case of bacterial suppuration, pain appears. In these cases, the cysts can even be palpated.
Diabetes mellitus of the first type.	No painful sensations were noted.	With a decrease in blood sugar, the patient experiences excruciating hunger. With ketoacidosis, nausea and vomiting are noted.	Frequent urination, constant thirst, itchy skin, dry mucous membranes. Possible hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis.

Pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus are the most common diseases of this organ.

Each person should know how the disease begins, what symptoms are characteristic for it, what are the features of the course, treatment and prognosis.

What is pancreatitis

Pancreatitis occurs when the ducts of the pancreas are blocked, leading to inflammation. The onset of the disease is always accompanied by an attack of acute pain, so it is not difficult for an experienced gastroenterologist to correctly diagnose, even with ordinary palpation. Outpatient treatment of acute pancreatitis is not practiced, the lack of timely treatment can even lead to death. According to statistics, death from an acute attack of pancreatitis is diagnosed in 15% of cases. Therefore, the first symptoms of inflammation of the pancreas should be a signal for immediate referral to a specialist.

Symptoms typical for acute inflammation:

• attacks of acute pain in the navel area;
• increased body temperature;
• frequent diarrhea;
• severe tachycardia;
• attacks of nausea and vomiting.

In addition to the acute form, pancreatitis can become chronic, with the following symptoms:

• a sharp decrease in body weight;
• intolerance to fatty foods;
• loss of appetite;
• pain in the hypochondrium even with small physical exertion;
• problems with stool.

Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by 4 forms of the disease.

The form	Symptoms
Asymptomatic	The patient is not yet aware of the presence of the disease, since the symptoms are not expressed.
Painful	The appearance of rare pain in the hypochondrium.
Recurrent	Painful sensations accompany the patient almost constantly.
Pseudotumor	An increase in the size of the head of the pancreas. In this part of the organ, fibrous tissue begins to grow.

Video - Pancreatitis

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is incredibly insidious. The disease provokes a lack of insulin production by the pancreas.

Important! In no case should the treatment of diabetes be postponed, as it is fraught with irreversible consequences.

Everyone should know the main symptoms associated with diabetes mellitus:

• feeling tired all the time, even in the morning;
• sharp weight loss, without additional effort: diet and exercise;
• a long stage of healing of any, even the most insignificant wounds and scratches;
• tingling sensation in the hands and feet;
• feeling of unquenchable thirst, accompanied throughout the day;
• decreased vision and hearing.

Preventive methods

It is much easier to prevent the development of any disease than to cure it. This is true for all diseases of organs and systems of the human body, including the pancreas. The modern rhythm of life has accelerated so much that it is sometimes extremely difficult to find time for a full meal. Therefore, more and more young people suffer from diseases of the pancreas. Constant dry food snacks, stress, alcohol and smoking lead to serious health problems. To minimize the load on the pancreas and not provoke disturbances in its work, you should adhere to simple rules.

1. If it is not possible to completely stop drinking alcohol, reduce its use. Forever forget about eating alcoholic beverages with fatty meat products. It is worth remembering that it is better to make a choice in favor of several glasses of good strong alcohol together 1-2 liters of beer, even light beer.
   

   Stop drinking alcohol

   

   The harm of alcohol

2. Proper nutrition, we are not talking about completely switching to the use of boiled chicken breast with buckwheat porridge and nothing else. It is necessary to use a reasonable approach to the choice of food and the time of its intake: do not eat fast food, chocolate and replace chips, sweet carbonated drinks with compote and fruit drink, do not abuse flour, baked goods and sweets.
   

   Proper nutrition

3. Do not take medications without a doctor's prescription, especially for the uncontrolled intake of antibacterial drugs.
   

   Antibiotic rules

4. To quit smoking, as a last resort, to control the number of cigarettes smoked while drinking alcohol, since nicotine potentiates its effect.
   

   10 rules to help you quit smoking

5. Take food at least 3 times a day, it is better to add one or two more light snacks to the main meals. Rebuild the body in such a way as to exclude the night "zhor".
   

   Example of five meals a day

6. Drink at least 2 liters of purified water, the daily rate of water consumption does not include tea, coffee, soups, juices and dairy products.
   

   How much water should you drink

Medical recommendations

To maintain the health of the organ, it is necessary to avoid excesses in everything: food, alcohol and smoking. It is the abuse of overly spicy and fatty foods, as well as alcohol in large quantities, that negatively affects the work of the pancreas.

The strictest diet is a panacea for diseases of the pancreas, the duration of the diet in each case is prescribed by the attending physician individually. Typically, the diet lasts at least 2-3 months. In the future, you should adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, giving up fatty, fried, sour, spicy and salty. Purified mineral water in large quantities is a must.

Video - What can you eat with pancreatitis?