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Health

What should I do if I have pancreatitis?

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 22.12.2018
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The first thing to do with an attack of pancreatitis is to refuse to eat food and any drinks other than purified water.

During an attack, any food that enters the digestive tract in the first three days provokes the release of enzymes in the pancreas, which leads to even more irritation of the organ and intensifies the symptoms, in particular, pain.

The method of refusing food in the early days of pancreatic inflammation is called curative starvation, from which it is necessary to go out gradually, starting with a few unsweetened crackers, then gradually introducing low-calorie meals into the diet.

During this period it is better to drink mineral non-carbonated water (Narzan, Borjomi) daily 400-500ml. You can also drink infusions of herbs or decoctions, shown with pancreatic inflammation.

Relieve severe pain and reduce inflammation with an ice compress under the sternum. For a compress it is better to take a heating pad or bag, with icy water or ice, and wrap it with a towel.

In some cases, during an attack, vomiting appears, which helps to remove acute symptoms for a short time (with severe pain, you can provoke vomiting yourself by pressing your fingers on the root of the tongue).

With pancreatic inflammation, a person needs a bed rest and complete rest to reduce stress in the pancreas and the intensity of circulation in the gastrointestinal tract.

What to do if you have an attack of acute pancreatitis?

An attack of acute pancreatitis can threaten human life, since enzymes produced by the pancreas can dissolve the walls of the organ in a short time and enter the bloodstream, thus disrupting the work of almost all systems and organs (for example, pancreatic enzymes can disrupt the function of breathing).

During an attack of acute pancreatitis it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance and give the person first aid.

Take any medication, except antispasmodics, this is what to do when an attack of pancreatitis is categorically prohibited. Doctors recommend before fasting fast, apply a cold compress to the solar plexus area and take a no-shpu or other antispasmodic drug.

How to remove an acute attack of pancreatitis?

During an acute attack of pancreatitis, you should immediately call an ambulance, self-treatment in this case can cause death. What to do if there is an attack of pancreatitis before an ambulance arrives:

  • do not use medicines other than antispasmodics (no-spa, papaverine, drotaverin), especially you can not drink painkillers and enzyme preparations that can only worsen the condition with acute inflammation
  • completely refuse to eat, drink water no more than 1/4 cup every half hour
  • on the back, parallel to the pancreas, apply ice compress
  • do not get out of bed, do not make sudden movements, you need maximum peace and a sparing regimen.

Often, pancreatitis develops against the background of the outflow of bile, so a little to remove the severe symptoms of inflammation of the pancreas will help cholagogue (alohol, 2 tablets 3 times a day), but you can take them only if there are no stones in the bile, . Take cholagogue medications only with spasmolytic drugs, but such treatment should be prescribed by a specialist after a preliminary examination. After the outflow of bile, diarrhea is possible, after which the work of the digestive organs is gradually normalized.

Help with an attack of pancreatitis

What to do if you have an attack of pancreatitis: remember the three basic rules - starvation, ice pack and complete rest.

The pancreas does not like heat, from which the inflammation only intensifies, in addition to heat, the enzymes of the pancreas become more active and begin to corrode the organ more strongly. An ice pack in the pancreas will not only reduce inflammation, but also relieve severe pain.

During an attack, you need to completely release the gastrointestinal tract, so that the pancreas ceases to produce enzymes (it is desirable to provoke vomiting). In the early days you can only drink water, broths of herbs.

Pancreatic disease can threaten severe complications for all organs, so it is important to ensure maximum peace during an attack and relieve the burden from the body.

After withdrawal of symptoms and normalization of the condition, dietary food and enzyme preparations (Pancreatin, Creon during meals) are prescribed , which will help reduce pancreatic activity, and also relieve pain in this organ.

It is important to know what to do in case of an attack of pancreatitis, since recently this disease is diagnosed more and more often (several decades ago pancreatitis was considered a disease of alcoholics).

By and large, the disease provokes the person himself in a modern way of life - constant stresses, eating fast food, fatty and fried foods, sweet soda, all this leads to the fact that the pancreas and other digestive organs are failing.

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