Inflammation of the pancreas is a rather serious disease for which it is impossible to do without medical help. And most importantly, painkillers for pancreatitis are simply necessary.
Recommendations from Elena Malysheva in the special issue “Live Healthy!” on how to overcome pacreatitis using the healing effects of natural remedies.
The disease is accompanied by pain in the hypochondrium and lumbar region, sometimes acquiring a so-called “girdling” character. Depending on the type (acute or chronic pancreatitis), their intensity varies.
Causes of pain
Errors in the diet usually lead to this ending: consumption of excessively spicy or fatty foods, and especially those “rich” in preservatives and other harmful food additives such as E630, E631, or prohibited ones (E121, E123), etc.
Alcohol and overeating have a detrimental effect. The situation is aggravated by exposure to stress factors, as well as concomitant diseases of the digestive system.
Pancreatic pain can occur due to food poisoning or as a result of exposure to chemicals or even medications.
According to the mechanism of occurrence, painful attacks can occur with the following pathological changes:
- as a result of narrowing of the gland ducts;
- with insufficient oxygen supply to the organ;
- during degenerative processes in the tissues of the gland;
- with errors in the blood supply to the gland.
Attention! If you experience constant, aching or acute pain in the abdominal area, you should not self-medicate. You should definitely consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis and treatment. In the case of an incorrectly chosen treatment regimen or lack of treatment, necrosis of pancreatic tissue (pancreatic necrosis) may develop. This threatens the appearance of severe pain, a progressive deterioration of the patient’s general condition, and can have fatal consequences in the future.
Preventive measures to relieve an attack of pancreatitis at home
To prevent the development of pathology, it is necessary to adhere to a healthy lifestyle.
It is important to exclude alcohol and foods that increase the load on the pancreas, cause irritation and contribute to the development of the inflammatory process. First of all, this applies to fatty, smoked, spicy, salty foods, sweets and canned food. You should eat as many fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains as possible. It is important to monitor your weight and lead an active lifestyle.
How to relieve pain from pancreatitis
First of all, you need to remember: in this case, the patient should be given complete rest, and he also needs a “starvation” diet.
Sometimes, if only these conditions are met, it is possible to achieve a significant reduction in pain. Also read: Treatment of pancreatitis with folk remedies - the most effective
It is allowed to drink mineral water (alkaline, still). Apply cold (ice pack) to the abdominal area.
Pancreatitis has worsened - the pain can be relieved with painkillers, which are administered by injection; tablet forms are excluded. This is explained by the fact that this pathology is accompanied by nausea and often vomiting, as a result of which the drugs do not have time to be absorbed by the body and do not have the desired effect. Taking enzymes in the acute period is strictly prohibited.
As a rule, painkillers are prescribed by a doctor, and only in complex treatment, which implies:
- restoration of water-salt balance;
- decreased activity and production of pancreatic enzymes;
- suppression of infection.
Important! You should not take painkillers for pancreatitis on your own, without medical advice, because by eliminating the pain syndrome, you will “veil” the symptoms of the disease. This will make it difficult to diagnose.
To the question: is it possible to cure a stomach or duodenal ulcer at home, a gastroenterologist, head of the gastroenterology department, Mikhail Vasilievich Arkhipov, answers.
Symptoms
Pancreatitis worsens when the gland begins to produce an enzymatic secretion in excess, and its outflow is difficult for any reason. An acute attack of pancreatitis is accompanied by prolonged aching pain in the left hypochondrium or solar plexus and a sharp rise in temperature. Often the syndrome also occurs on the left side of the sternum from the back. It is quite sharp, since there are nerve endings in the pancreatic mucosa. Reactions from the gastrointestinal tract are possible - stool disorders in the form of diarrhea, vomiting and nausea, which are long-lasting. Along the way, there are signs of disruption of the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, arrhythmia and severe migraines associated with pressure surges appear.
In parallel, the symptoms are chills, flatulence, lack of appetite, dry mouth and white coating on the tongue, hiccups, belching, and often the complexion of the skin becomes grayish-yellow. Identical syndromes may indicate other serious diseases of the digestive system, therefore, only clinical studies, such as comprehensive tests of blood, saliva, urine and feces, and ultrasound examination of the internal organs of the peritoneum, will help establish which diagnosis will be correct.
Pain relief for acute pancreatitis
If the pain is moderate, medications from the group of analgesics (Baralgin, Acetamifene) or antispasmodics (Buscopan, Papaverine, Mebeverine, No-shpa, Platyfillin) are prescribed.
Ketanov is an effective non-narcotic pain reliever. In some cases, novocaine blockades are carried out. If the drugs outlined above are ineffective, narcotic drugs can be used as prescribed by a doctor: Omnopon, Promedol, Tramadol.
Since therapy for acute pathology is carried out in a hospital, the attending physician will prescribe detoxification therapy in the form of intravenous drips, antibacterial agents (usually Ceftriaxone), as well as drugs that reduce pancreatic secretion.
Drug pain relief for chronic pancreatitis
Chronic forms of the disease are characterized by less intense pain. This is explained by the fact that the inflammation process occurs in a more erased form. However, the affected pancreatic parenchyma gradually undergoes cicatricial changes. It grows with connective tissue, its coarse fibers compress blood vessels and nerve endings.
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As a result, the function of the organ is disrupted, all this is accompanied by aching and dull pain in the hypochondrium area. During periods of exacerbation, the pain intensifies, but usually does not reach the intensity as with acute pancreatitis.
Also read: What are the best pills for the treatment of pancreatitis?
How to relieve pain from pancreatitis if it occurs in a chronic form?
As with acute manifestations of the disease, painkillers are used. In this case, on an outpatient basis, it is allowed to take drugs in tablets as prescribed by a doctor.
In order to relieve pain and alleviate the patient’s condition, the following are used:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Diclofenac, Nimesil, Ibuprofen, Voltaren;
- antispasmodics and analgesics: No-shpa, Buscopan, Meteospasmil, Trigan, Pentalgin.
In addition to targeted pain relief, medications are used to “unload” the gland. Some of them relieve swelling, others partially restore its functions, thereby participating in the relief of pain. These include:
- proteinase inhibitors: Kontrikal, Gordox, Kontriven;
- Somatostatin drugs (Octreotide), which can suppress the secretory function of the gland;
- enzyme preparations to restore digestion: Mezim, Pancreatin, Festal (not used in the acute period);
- antihistamines: Suprastin, Diphenhydramine, Pipolfen (participate in relieving swelling and inflammation, reduce allergic reactions);
- diuretics: Furosemide, Hypothiazide, Spironolactone (reduce tissue swelling).
General recommendations from doctors
With inflammation of the pancreas, pain bothers the patient for long periods of time and gradually intensifies. These changes are evidence of the development of acute pancreatitis. The patient must urgently receive qualified medical assistance. In the chronic form of the disease, the attack can be relieved at home using the recommendations of specialists, namely:
- maintain bed rest and do not panic;
- place ice cubes on your stomach;
- stop eating food.
The main task for the patient is to completely eliminate any digestive enzymes, so as not to provoke the production of even more gastric juice by the inflamed organ and increased pain. If the pain is severe, you should take medications that help eliminate spasms, dilate blood vessels, and painkillers. Even if you manage to relieve the symptoms, visiting a doctor should not be postponed, since pancreatic disease can be treated exclusively under the supervision of a specialist.
Thanks to inpatient therapy, you can quickly relieve inflammation and get rid of accumulations of toxins. In the first 3–4 days after the attack, the patient must follow a fasting diet. This will speed up the recovery process of the gland and restore its previous activity. After the recommended period of time, the patient can begin to eat, following the advice of medical specialists:
- Eat only boiled or steamed food.
- Finely chop or grate foods.
- Prepare lightly salted food.
- There are only warm dishes.
When creating a menu, focus on protein dishes.
Carbohydrates are either completely excluded or taken in limited quantities. By following these simple rules, you can quickly restore the functioning of the pancreas and prevent recurrent attacks. In the future, you can gradually expand your diet, but under no circumstances eat fried, fatty or spicy foods, which provoke new inflammation. By following a healthy diet, you can completely restore your health. As a complement to therapy, experts recommend using traditional methods of treatment.
In case of exacerbation of pancreatitis, it is necessary to observe bed rest and dietary nutrition.
Other methods of pain relief for pancreatitis
What methods and techniques exist to relieve pain from pancreatitis? The mechanism of pain occurrence plays an important role here.
If obstruction of the gland ducts predominates, the following surgical procedures will be effective to restore the patency of its ducts:
- stenting of the gland duct: allows you to “straighten” its lumen, which relieves pain;
- lithoextraction: surgical removal of common bile duct (glandular duct) stones;
- intraductal lithotripsy: laparoscopic surgery during which the ducts of the gland are dilated mechanically.
If the disease is autoimmune in nature, the analgesic effect will be achieved by using duct stenting, taking corticosteroids and ursodeoxycholic acid drugs (Ursosan, Ursoliv, Ursodex).
If a patient has biliary pancreatitis associated with disturbances in the outflow of bile, inflammation of the gland and the formation of stones in its ducts, then ursodeoxycholic acid preparations, increased dosages of pancreatic enzymes, and the use of antispasmodics will be quite effective.
Also read: How to relieve an attack of pancreatitis at home
