I believe many people have suffered from acute pancreatitis, which can cause severe abdominal pain, nausea, and other unbearable symptoms when it suddenly occurs. Acute pancreatitis needs to be taken seriously in daily life. So, what are the initial symptoms of acute pancreatitis? Let's learn more about it together with the editor below!
The initial symptoms of acute pancreatitis
1. Abdominal pain
Acute pancreatitis is mostly a sudden onset, characterized by severe upper abdominal pain and radiating to the shoulder and back.
2. Nausea and vomiting
It appears at the onset of the disease and is characterized by the inability to relieve abdominal pain after vomiting. The frequency of vomiting is also consistent with the severity of the disease. In edematous pancreatitis, there is not only nausea, but also frequent vomiting 1-3 times; In hemorrhagic pancreatitis, severe vomiting or persistent frequent dry vomiting may occur.
3. Systemic symptoms
May have fever, jaundice, etc. The degree of fever is often consistent with the severity of the disease. Edematous pancreatitis, which may have no fever or only mild fever; Hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis can lead to high fever, and if the fever persists, complications such as pancreatic abscess may occur. The occurrence of jaundice may be caused by concurrent biliary diseases or by the compression of the common bile duct by the enlarged pancreatic head.
The etiology of acute pancreatitis
1. Obstructive factors
Bile reflux is caused by bile duct roundworms, trapped stones in the ampulla of Vater's ampulla, and narrowing of the duodenal papilla. If there is obvious obstruction at the lower end of the bile duct and the pressure inside the bile duct is very high, the high-pressure bile flows back into the pancreatic duct, causing pancreatic acini to rupture and pancreatic enzymes to enter the pancreatic interstitium, leading to pancreatitis.
2. Alcohol factor
Long term drinkers are prone to developing pancreatitis. On this basis, when a large amount of alcohol and overeating occurs, it promotes the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, causing a sudden increase in pressure in the pancreatic ducts, leading to the rupture of pancreatic acini and the entry of pancreatic enzymes into the interstitium between acini, triggering acute pancreatitis. The simultaneous intake of alcohol and high protein and high-fat foods not only increases pancreatic enzyme secretion, but also can cause hyperlipidemia. At this point, pancreatic lipase breaks down triglycerides and releases free fatty acids, causing damage to the pancreas.
3. Vascular factors
Acute embolism and obstruction of small arteries and veins in the pancreas, leading to acute circulatory disorders and resulting in acute pancreatitis; Another factor is based on pancreatic duct obstruction. When pancreatic duct obstruction occurs and there is high pressure inside the pancreatic duct, pancreatic enzymes passively "infiltrate" the interstitium. Due to the stimulation of pancreatic enzymes, lymphatic vessels, veins, and arteries in the interstitium can become embolized, leading to ischemic necrosis of the pancreas.
If acute pancreatitis occurs, it can cause great harm to the body. If not treated in a timely manner, it can even be life-threatening. But acute pancreatitis is not very scary either. As long as it is detected early, treated actively, and maintained a relaxed mood during treatment, acute pancreatitis can be cured quickly!
