Among the important digestive organs of the human body the pancreas deserves special mention. When it becomes inflamed for some reason, a disease called Pancreatitis takes place.

The pancreas is an internal gland that plays a vital role in regulating the blood sugar levels and also aids in digestion process. It is linked with the duodenum and is situated behind the stomach in a crossed posture. Besides, it also neutralizes the stomach acids to protect the coating of the gut.

Causes of Pancreatitis

There are some reasons which are responsible for this disease but the most prevalent one is gallstones. Another significant cause of the disease is excess consumption of alcoholic beverages. On the other hand, people who have never costumed any type of alcohol in their lifetime can also contract the disease under certain circumstances.

If a person receives an injury to the gland he may contract the ailment. Sometimes certain types of viral infections like mumps can also lead to the occurrence of this malady. In some instances, the adverse side effects of some medicines have also led to the menace. In some victims of the disease, the doctors have identified higher levels of calcium or fat in blood as the main cause.

Apart from these reasons, a person can also contract the ailment from heredity. Among the less reported causes of Pancreatitis, vasculitis and hypertriglyceridemia are noteworthy. Contrary to a common misconception, pancreatic cancer does not cause the disease.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis

The symptoms of the disease are accompanied with severe pain. The most prevalent symptom of Pancreatitis is strong pain in the upper abdominal region of the body. As a matter of fact, this pain can radiate up to the back of the affected person. Apart from that, the victim can also suffer from vomiting and nausea. The blood pressure level of the affected person may be high if the pain is of a severe type.

On the other hand, if he has suffered from dehydration or internal bleeding he might show low blood pressure. The medical tests can reveal the degree of inflammation and whether any type of internal bleeding has taken place. As has been observed in most of the instances of the disease, the respiratory rates and heart beats of the patients remain on the higher side. The abdominal parts of the victims may turn tender.

Treatment for Pancreatitis

Practically speaking, the treatment of the disease is dependant on the degree of inflammation caused to the pancreas. However, the doctors recommend some basic treatments for the victims of the disease.

First of all, the patients of the ailment need to be given adequate means to relieve the pain. Previously a medicine called meperidine was used in most of the cases, but nowadays it has been replaced by superior quality narcotic analgesic drugs. The doctors usually prescribe morphine for treating the cases of acute pancreatitis.

Apart from that, the victims of the malady also require to be given sufficient fluids and salts in the intravenous way. Dietary fat constraint is something the physicians stress on. To evade the chances of pancreatic stimulation NG tube feeding is mostly preferred.

The cases of acute pancreatitis are treated under the supervision of expert medical care. These patients require hospitalization and administering of intravenous fluids. The painkiller medicines can aid in relieving the pain but it is also imperative for the patients to sit forward.

Advice

In the majority of the cases, the patients of the ailment do not contract the disease again but some of them may suffer from health problems in future life. People who have suffered from the disease once should refrain from consuming alcohol as it may cause the ailment to relapse.

As the Pancreas regulates the level of blood sugar in the body its inflammation can cause Diabetes in some victims. Such people require suitable treatment with insulin injections and drugs. In some rare cases, the doctors may have to remove the pancreas surgically if the attacks become frequent.