Acute Pancreatitis
“The pain feels like it is going to bore a ragged hole right through your body from the front right out the middle of your spine.” ~The Pain Attributed to Acute Pancreatitis
A good friend of mine recently had a scary experience recently as her partner needed to go to the emergency department of the local hospital with incredible pain and swelling of his abdomen. The doctors were able to determine that the gentleman was suffering from a bout of Acute Pancreatitis which can cause severe pain and discomfort. The pancreas, unlike the appendix, cannot just be removed because it is inflamed and causing pain. The appendix? Cut it out and throw it away, but the pancreas, well, it is one of those critical little bits that helps the body digest and use the food you eat. This gland has two primary jobs, the first is to release enzymes that help the body break down the foods consumed and then it also regulates and releases the body’s hormones of insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body control sugar levels and how it uses food for energy. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and next to the small intestines and has a bit of a funny shape but when inflamed it can be a source of intense discomfort.
What is acute pancreatitis? “Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation that lasts for a short time. It may range from mild discomfort to a severe, life-threatening illness. Most people with acute pancreatitis recover completely after getting the right treatment. In severe cases, acute pancreatitis can result in bleeding into the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cyst formation. Severe pancreatitis can also harm other vital organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys,” (WebMD). The symptoms of this sudden inflammation of the pancreas are pain in the upper abdominal area that radiates towards the back (read the opening quote again) and it is usually aggravated by eating foods high in fat. People who suffer from pancreatitis also feel a swollen and tender abdomen, experience nausea and vomiting, have a fever and experience an increased heart rate. In most cases, “…acute pancreatitis is caused by gallstones or heavy alcohol use. Other causes include medications, infections, trauma, metabolic disorders, and surgery. In up to 15% of people with acute pancreatitis, the cause is unknown,” (WebMD). There are two main risk factors that contribute to the possibility of an acute pancreatitis attack, the gallbladder and alcohol consumption. If you follow my blog at all, you will have read a few weeks back that millions of Americans suffer from gallbladder issues and that those individuals are at risk for some form of pancreatitis. Oh, the joy!
If you are suffering pain in your upper abdominal area and you think it might be your pancreas, don’t mess around and try to tough it out, get to the hospital and have them take care of you. If left untreated the condition could worsen, damaging other organs and it could lead to death…so don’t muck around with it. The treatment of an acute pancreatitis attack is IV fluids, pain medication and no food till the inflammation subsides. In some cases, the patient is admitted to the ICU (intensive care unit) for close observation as other complications can occur rapidly. Healing does occur, people do get better and live a normal life, but sometimes life changes need to happen in order to avoid a repeat trip to the hospital.
I hope everyone has a great week moving forward and if you or anyone you know has had abdominal pain after eating high fat foods or drinking, you might want to go get checked out. As always, thanks for reading…keep an eye out for events brewing off the Korean peninsula as things continue to heat up there. I continue to hope for common sense to break out and peace to prevail but it’s looking shaky right now. Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com