There are various diseases of the pancreas that can occur. The disease can be caused by many things, ranging from inflammation, gallstones, excessive alcohol consumption, to unhealthy eating patterns. Come on, identify what types of pancreatic disease you need to watch out for.
The pancreas is an organ that is responsible for producing digestive enzymes that play a role in the process of breaking down proteins, sugars, and fats in food and drinks so that they are more easily absorbed by the body.
In addition, the pancreas also plays a role in producing the hormones insulin and glucagon which acts as a regulator of sugar levels in the blood. When the pancreas is disturbed, its function will be disrupted, resulting in various health problems.
Types of Diseases of the Pancreas and their Symptoms
Each disease of the pancreas is caused by different things and has its own symptoms. The following are some diseases of the pancreas that are important for you to know:
1. Diabetes
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of pancreatic disease. This disease occurs when the performance or production of the insulin hormone produced by the pancreas is disturbed.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder when the body's immune system attacks healthy pancreatic cells, preventing the pancreas from producing insulin.
Meanwhile, type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to use insulin effectively. Over time, this makes it difficult for the pancreas or unable to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is thought to occur due to genetic factors and an unhealthy diet or lifestyle.
In general, some of the symptoms experienced by diabetics are frequent urination at night, frequent thirst and hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, and wounds that are difficult to heal.
2. Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis is a condition when the pancreas becomes inflamed suddenly. In the vast majority of cases, acute pancreatitis is caused by gallstones and heavy or long-term alcohol consumption.
However, in addition to these two causes, acute pancreatitis can also be caused by viral infections, genetic disorders, or side effects of drugs.
The main symptom of acute pancreatitis is abdominal pain that appears suddenly. The pain can radiate to the chest or back and gets worse when the sufferer coughs or takes a deep breath.
In addition to abdominal pain, acute pancreatitis can also cause symptoms of fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, swollen stomach, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and a racing heart or chest palpitations.
3. Chronic pancreatitis
As with acute pancreatitis, cases of chronic pancreatitis are also caused by the habit of consuming alcoholic beverages. In addition, this disease can also be caused by gallstones, autoimmune diseases, hyperparathyroidism, genetic disorders, hyperlipidemia, to side effects of drugs.
People with chronic pancreatitis can experience symptoms of pancreatitis for months or even years. The following are some of the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis to watch out for:
- Abdominal pain that radiates to the back
- Frequent nausea and vomiting, especially after eating
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Oily stool
- Yellow skin and eyes
In advanced stages, chronic pancreatitis can make it difficult for the pancreas to produce insulin, resulting in diabetes. If this is the case, sufferers can experience diabetes symptoms such as feeling thirsty, tired easily, and urinating frequently.
4. Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a disease that occurs due to genetic disorders. This disease makes the mucus in the body becomes more viscous and sticky, so it can clog a number of body channels. One of the organs that can be affected by cystic fibrosis is the pancreas.
Cystic fibrosis of the digestive tract and pancreas can cause symptoms such as oily, very smelly stools, severe diarrhea or constipation, and jaundice. This disease can also cause impaired absorption of nutrients, thus making the sufferer experience weight loss due to malnutrition.
5. Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that is relatively rare. However, this disease of the pancreas has a fairly high mortality rate.
There are several factors that can increase a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer, namely a family history of pancreatic cancer, smoking habits or consuming alcoholic beverages, to certain diseases such as cirrhosis, diabetes, and pancreatitis.
In its early stages, pancreatic cancer is often asymptomatic. However, as this disease of the pancreas progresses, people with pancreatic cancer may experience the following symptoms:
- Yellow skin and eyes
- Stomach pain that radiates to the back
- Loss of appetite
- Drastic weight loss for no apparent reason
- Fever
- Itchy skin
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pale or whitish stools
- Dark urine color
6. Pancreatic insufficiency
Pancreatic insufficiency or exocrine pancreas insufficiency (EPI) occurs when the pancreas cannot produce and release enough digestive enzymes for the body, resulting in malnutrition.
There are various conditions that can cause EPI, namely pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, cysts or tumors in the pancreas, a history of surgery on the pancreas, to genetic disorders and autoimmune disorders.
EPI can cause several symptoms, such as abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, weight loss, and oily, pale-looking stools.
7. Pancreatic pseudocyst
Pancreatic pseudocyst is a disease of the pancreas that occurs after a person suffers from pancreatitis. This disease is characterized by the formation of a fluid-filled sac in the pancreas. In addition to pancreatitis, this condition can also occur due to abdominal injuries that make the pancreas injured and swollen.
In general, the symptoms of pancreatic pseudocyst are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, no appetite, weight loss, fever, the appearance of a lump in the stomach, jaundice, and abdominal pain.
Some Steps for Handling Diseases in the Pancreas
There are many diseases of the pancreas and each of these diseases has its own symptoms and causes. If you experience symptoms of disease in the pancreas, you should immediately consult a doctor.
To diagnose diseases of the pancreas and determine the cause, doctors can perform a physical examination and supporting examinations such as blood tests, abdominal ultrasound, X-rays, CT scans, to pancreatic endoscopy or ERCP.
After confirming the diagnosis of pancreatic disease and determining the cause, the doctor will provide the appropriate treatment. The following are some treatment steps to treat diseases of the pancreas:
Administration of drugs
To treat diabetes, doctors can give antidiabetic drugs and insulin injections. Meanwhile, to treat digestive disorders due to EPI and cystic fibrosis, doctors can provide digestive enzyme supplements. The doctor may also give antibiotics if there is an infection in the pancreas.
Meanwhile, to relieve pain and inflammation in the pancreas, doctors can give painkillers, such as paracetamol.
Operation
Surgery is usually performed to treat diseases of the pancreas due to the formation of gallstones, tumors or cancer, and injuries to the pancreas. To treat pancreatic cancer, surgery is generally followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Special diet and infusion therapy
When pancreatic function is impaired, the doctor may advise you to fast for a few days and stay in the hospital so that the doctor can give you intravenous therapy.
In addition, you will also be advised to undergo a special diet, namely a diet low in fat, high in fiber and complex carbohydrates.
Whatever the cause, it is important to detect pancreatic disease early so that it can be treated as soon as possible. This is important so that the pancreas can function properly again.
Therefore, if you experience some of the symptoms of pancreatic disease, immediately go to the doctor to undergo an examination and get treatment.