What Are the Symptoms of Pancreatitis?

Update Date: 2024-06-17 Source: Network

Pancreatitis is a relatively common disease that poses significant harm to humans. Once pancreatitis occurs, the symptoms can be acute, leading to edema and hyperemia of the pancreas, and even hemorrhage or necrosis. Patients may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and high fever. In severe cases, pancreatitis can lead to shock, causing a drop in blood pressure and even death.

Common symptoms and complications of pancreatitis include:

(1) Shock patients often display symptoms such as paleness, cold sweats, thin pulse, and hypotension. The causes of shock can be diverse, including the spillage of pancreatic fluid that stimulates the peritoneum and causes severe pain, bleeding in the pancreatic tissue and abdominal cavity, and body poisoning caused by tissue necrosis and protein decomposition. If severe shock is not promptly treated, it can be fatal.

(2) Abdominal pain is often located in the mid-to-upper abdomen, sometimes radiating in a belt-like pattern to the back and waist. Bending over or leaning forward in a sitting position can alleviate the pain. It often occurs suddenly after heavy drinking or a large meal, varying in severity from dull pain to persistent cramping pain.

(3) Vomiting is common in pancreatitis patients, with many experiencing vomiting of gastric contents or even bile. Vomiting does not typically relieve abdominal pain.

(4) Fever is also a common symptom in acute pancreatitis patients, with moderate fever lasting for 3 to 5 days.

(5) Imbalances in water, electrolytes, and acid-base levels are also common in pancreatitis patients. Different degrees of dehydration may occur, and frequent vomiting can lead to metabolic alkalosis. Severe pancreatitis is often accompanied by metabolic acidosis, hypocalcemia, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, and hypomagnesemia.

Before the onset of pancreatitis, patients often have a history of overeating or biliary diseases. Acute pancreatitis can be classified into two types: mild (or ordinary) and severe (or hemorrhagic necrotic). The hemorrhagic necrotic type is less common but more severe and associated with a higher mortality rate.