Acute pancreatitis - symptoms

The pancreas is one of the most important organs, since it produces most of the digestive enzymes, as well as insulin. With its inflammation, the mechanisms of production of these substances are violated, it can cause severe intoxication, and even diabetes mellitus. Therefore, it is important to immediately identify acute pancreatitis - the symptoms of this condition are very specific, which greatly facilitates the diagnosis.

The first signs of acute pancreatitis in women

The earliest and most characteristic clinical manifestation of pathology is the pain syndrome. It is very pronounced, intense and constant. Patients describe pain in inflammation of the pancreas as dull, paroxysmal or cutting. It can have a clear localization - in the right, left hypochondrium, under the spoon. If the disease affects the entire organ, then a shingling pain syndrome is observed, accompanied by a feeling of squeezing in the abdomen.

It is worth noting that, in the absence of timely medical care and taking pain medications, pain shock may occur.

Other symptoms of acute pancreatitis

Subsequently, the following symptoms are added to the pain syndrome:

1. Change the shade of the face. At the very beginning the skin becomes very pale, right down to cyanosis. After a while, the face acquires an earthy, gray color.
2. Increased body temperature. It is noted with the rapid development of inflammation, the column of the thermometer reaches values ​​of 39-40 degrees.
3. Blood pressure jumps. Because of a circulatory disorder, hyper- or hypotension may occur.
4. Nausea, hiccough, dry mouth, frequent eructations. Due to the lack of enzymes that stagnate in the pancreas with pancreatitis, food practically ceases to be digested in the intestines, which provokes these symptoms.
5. Stool disorders. Most often, patients complain of diarrhea. In this case, feces have a fetid odor, a foamy character, large pieces of undigested food are noticeable in the feces. There are fewer cases of constipation. They are combined with a strong swelling of the intestine, flatulence, a perceptible hardening of the abdominal muscles.
6. Intense vomiting. As a rule, this symptom is the most dangerous, since it leads to an abundant loss of fluid by the body, dehydration. Vomiting consists of the contents of the stomach, a large amount of undigested food and bile from the duodenum. It does not bring relief, it provokes irritation of the mucous membranes of the esophagus and oral cavity.
7. Cyanotic spots on the abdomen. Due to inflammatory processes in the pancreas, blood can seep into the epigastric cavity. Therefore, on the lower back, in the inguinal zone and around the navel appear large spots that have a blue-green hue. In general, the skin looks like marble.
8. Dyspnea. Due to the loss of electrolytes during vomiting, the patient becomes difficult to breathe. The body emits sticky, plentiful and cool sweat, a dense build up on the tongue.

Sometimes, among the symptoms of an acute sclerosing form of pancreatitis, there is mechanical jaundice - yellowing of the skin and sclera, as in hepatitis. It occurs because of the squeezing of the general the bile duct with a tissue of the inflamed organ. This clinical manifestation indicates severe intoxication and requires immediate emergency medical care.

Signs of acute pancreatitis on ultrasound

During ultrasound examination, an accumulation in the lumen of the glandular bag of exudate is found, which appears on the screen as an echo-transparent band between the anterior surface of the pancreas and the back wall of the stomach. Normally there is no clearance at all.

In addition, ultrasound markedly reduced echogenicity of the parenchymal tissue of the inflamed organ.