Nausea is an uncomfortable sensation that often precedes vomiting. It can range from a mild feeling of food rising in the throat to severe cases with diaphragm contractions and regurgitation. Nausea is a non-specific symptom, which means that it occurs in the course of many diseases and conditions – both serious and harmless to health.
In the conditions mentioned (except pregnancy), nausea fades within 24 hours, and the prognosis for recovery and relief of signs is good. On the other hand, among the relatively dangerous diseases that can manifest themselves with nausea, it is worth mentioning pancreatitis.
First of all, the cause of nausea should be sought among those that occur frequently and are not dangerous. Potential causes should also be differentiated depending on the patient’s age. To differentiate, it is essential to pay attention to the co-occurrence of other dangerous symptoms.
2.
Lower abdominal pain is often a concerning symptom, particularly in women due to the reproductive organs located in the pelvis. It is important to remember that abdominal pain can be classified as visceral or referred, meaning the source of the pain may originate from a different area than where the discomfort is felt. It may happen in pancreatitis.
Visceral pain arises from receptors in the muscular and mucous membranes of tubular organs, the mesentery, and the surfaces of serous membranes. These receptors usually react to the stretching of the intestine when it becomes distended or to stretching or torsion of the mesentery. Pain that lasts for several days is often present with pancreatitis.
Painful symptoms of the pancreas depend on the disease affecting this organ. The pain can be sharp, paroxysmal, piercing, or burning. It can be momentary, but it can also last for several hours or be constant. It can give the feeling of a tight noose tightening around the upper abdomen or radiate along the spine, to various parts of the back, which is why it can be challenging to localize. The pain can appear only after a meal or after drinking alcohol, and it can also intensify when lying on your back, but this is not the rule. The discomfort can be so intense that it does not subside despite taking painkillers.
3.
Vomiting is the sudden expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth as a result of severe contractions of the abdominal and chest muscles. Before vomiting occurs, for several minutes to even several hours, you may experience increased salivation, and your heart rate and breathing speed up. Vomiting may precede vomiting, but no discharge from the mouth occurs.
Vomiting may indicate an illness. When determining the cause of vomiting, it is worth paying attention to the coexisting signs. If vomiting occurs immediately after a meal, it may be related to pancreatitis or gallbladder inflammation. On the other hand, vomiting accompanied by diarrhea and muscle pain has an infectious basis.
The scheme for stopping vomiting is based on several steps. First, it is significant to balance water disorders. Then, based on the diagnostics, the specialist determines the methods for eliminating the causes of vomiting, i.e., implements causal treatment. If it is not possible to remove the factor causing vomiting, the specialist can recommend symptomatic treatment. Both types of therapy may be based on pharmacology.
4.
Bloating is an enlargement of the abdomen due to excess gas in the digestive tract. There are many causes of a bloated abdomen – indigestion, which often occurs after eating fatty foods, a reaction to stressful events, diseases (e.g. pancreatitis), as well as conditions that are dangerous to health and life. However, abdominal bloating is usually associated with dietary errors. Most often, abdominal enlargement occurs after a large and fatty meal. Overeating and incorrectly combining different nutrients leads to digestive problems. Abdominal bloating after eating is a symptom that quickly disappears, usually after a few hours or the next day.
Determine the cause of bloating to alleviate it. Indigestion, the most frequent culprit, can often be managed with a suitable diet featuring easily digestible foods and minimal fat. Avoid frying, sweets, carbonated drinks, and alcohol.
Regardless of the cause of the bloated belly, remember to eat meals slowly, chew each bite thoroughly and avoid foods that cause bloating. Following these rules will help alleviate the symptoms and reduce the risk of a constantly bloated belly.
5.
Fullness in the abdomen is a condition in which a person feels discomfort and pressure in the abdomen, often despite eating a small amount of food. This may indicate digestive problems, such as slow intestinal peristalsis, indigestion, or irritable bowel syndrome. It can also happen in pancreatitis.
This feeling often occurs after meals, but can also occur as a result of gas accumulation in the intestines, food intolerances, or functional disorders of the digestive tract.
Medications for indigestion and digestive problems often help alleviate these symptoms. Additionally, the sensation of fullness may be linked to factors such as stress, a lack of physical activity, or an unhealthy eating. In some cases, it could signal more complex health issues that necessitate consulting a doctor.
6.
Intestinal gas is a natural phenomenon experienced by everyone. On average, the volume of intestinal gas produced is about 200 milliliters, with excretion occurring between 14 to 25 times a day.
The cause of excessive intestinal gas is usually functional disorders, i.e., unrelated to the disease process. In patients struggling with constant gas in the intestines, the doctor may diagnose pancreatitis.
Quick but temporary relief gives pharmaceuticals containing simethicone, which reduces the surface tension of gas bubbles in the digestive tract. Home remedies play a key role in eliminating gases found in the intestines. Patients struggling with persistent flatulence are advised to modify their diet. First, you should analyze which foods most often cause symptoms, and then try to eliminate them from your diet.
7.
Constipation is characterized by the prolonged retention of intestinal contents in the digestive tract, usually in the large intestine, or difficulties in eliminating stool from the rectum. As a result of long retention in the large intestine, intestinal contents become excessively thickened (by absorbing water), and the stool significantly decreases its volume, and becomes harder and more compact.
Fiber plays a crucial role in managing constipation. It is also necessary for the fiber consumed with the diet to swell, increase the volume of food residues, and properly fulfill its role. Fiber without water will work in the opposite direction – it will worsen constipation, instead of minimizing it.
For the digestion and defecation process to proceed properly, a balanced intestinal microflora is essential. Consuming probiotic products helps improve the condition of the intestinal microflora. In the case of persistent constipation, long-term use of laxatives is not recommended. They impair intestinal peristalsis, making them lazy. As a result, it can even lead to a situation where defecation will be impossible without teas.
8.
Fever is the body’s response to substances known as pyrogens, which can be either extrinsic or intrinsic. These pyrogens cause the body to adjust its normal physiological temperature to a higher level.
A very detailed interview should be conducted regarding all symptoms, especially pain, possible foreign travel, nature of work, contact with animals, sexual contact, medications taken (even those sold without a prescription), or recurrent bleeding. The nature of the fever itself should be analyzed in particular, namely:
In the case of a fever of unknown etiology, we perform numerous tests, starting with common and non-invasive ones and, if necessary, extending the diagnostics to others until the cause is determined.
9.
Thanks to the increase in body temperature, the body strengthens its defense mechanisms, which are necessary to fight the microorganism that caused the infection. Unfortunately, fever can also have a negative effect on the human body. The heart rate accelerates, and oxygen consumption increases.
An elevated body temperature not exceeding 38 degrees Celsius (subfebrile condition) in both adults and children does not have to be treated pharmacologically. However, when the temperature rises, symptomatic treatment should be applied, e.g., in pancreatitis.
A persistent subfebrile condition, ineffective antipyretics or the occurrence of additional, worrying symptoms should be reported to a doctor.
10.
Tachycardia refers to an accelerated heartbeat that exceeds 100 beats per minute. This condition can cause the sensation of heart palpitations, which may be accompanied by various uncomfortable symptoms. Additionally, tachycardia can occur in conjunction with pancreatitis.
When the heart beats rapidly and irregularly, it may indicate a pathological condition. In such cases, this is tachyarrhythmia. If the source of the irregularity is in the atria, it is termed supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, while if it originates in the ventricles, it is called ventricular tachyarrhythmia.
Tachyarrhythmia can be either paroxysmal (occurring in episodes) or permanent. The signs may differ widely, with some people experiencing mild discomfort while others can find the symptoms more bothersome.
11.
Patients describe dyspnea as a subjective sensation characterized by a feeling of shortness of breath or incapacity to take a deep breath. It is often associated with considerable discomfort and is a symptom that necessitates urgent diagnostics.
Depending on the underlying causes and severity, dyspnea may present as tachypnea, involvement of additional respiratory muscles, altered consciousness, or cyanosis.
Common diagnostic procedures include chest X-rays, twelve-lead ECGs, and blood tests, such as complete blood counts or arterial blood gas analysis. The role of bedside ultrasound examination in diagnosing dyspnea is gradually increasing; ultrasound can assess the lungs (parenchyma, pleura), heart (contractility, valve function, presence of fluid in the pericardial sac), and the deep veins of the lower limbs (to check for blood clots).
12.
Blood pressure may happen in pancreatitis. It is the force of pressure exerted by the flowing blood on the walls of the arteries. Systolic pressure is generated when the heart contracts, when blood enters the aorta, and diastolic pressure, as the name suggests, occurs when the heart relaxes. This means that blood pressure is a variable value that depends on the heart’s cycle. Normal systolic pressure should be in the range of 120-129 mmHg, and diastolic pressure 80-84 mmHg.
Although low blood pressure is not as dangerous as hypertension, it should certainly not be underestimated. The most dangerous effect associated with hypotension is fainting. Get a blood pressure monitor and regularly check your blood pressure. In addition, it is good to have additional tests performed from time to time.
Non-pharmacological methods include the following actions:
Pharmacological treatment is employed when non-pharmacological approaches do not deliver the desired results, as well as in cases of primary hypertension and orthostatic hypotension. Additionally, you can find preparations containing ginseng or guarana in pharmacies.
13.
Jaundice is not a disease; rather, it is a symptom that may occur from different underlying conditions, including pancreatitis. It is characterized by the yellow discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes, caused by an accumulation of excess bilirubin in the tissues due to an increased concentration of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment resulting from the breakdown of hemoglobin in old red blood cells and certain proteins, such as myoglobin found in muscles. The standard total bilirubin concentration in the blood is typically no higher than 1 mg/dl (17 µmol/dl).
Jaundice occurs when the bilirubin concentration exceeds 43 µmol/l (approximately 2.5 mg/dl). Below this threshold, a yellowish tint may only appear in the whites of the eyes and mucous membranes (a subicteric state).
It can be challenging to detect jaundice under low light conditions. The yellowing initially becomes noticeable in the whites of the eyes and progresses to the skin, disappearing in the reverse order.
14.
Oliguria is the abnormal excretion of small volumes of urine, defined as less than 500 ml per day in the average adult (or less than 70 ml per 10 kg of body weight per day).
The volume of urine produced can be influenced by several factors, including the amount of fluid consumed and conditions, e.g., pancreatitis.
It’s important to note that oliguria is not a disease but rather a symptom of various diseases and conditions. Consequently, treatment will depend on the underlying cause. In some cases, such as dehydration, a quick and effective treatment may involve providing adequate hydration, either orally or intravenously.
15.Pancreatitis can also cause loss of consciousness (especially related to malnutrition or low blood pressure). It can be short-term and is then called fainting. Fainting has a sudden onset, usually resolving spontaneously and quickly – in less than 20 seconds. It should be distinguished from the pre-syncope, called fainting when there is no loss of consciousness. A pre-syncope is a state in which a person feels that they are about to lose consciousness, but it may not happen (the symptoms are the same as before losing consciousness).
In principle, any disturbance of consciousness, starting with a brief fainting episode, requires immediate medical attention. An exception may be situations involving fainting that occur repeatedly in an individual when the cause is known and deemed harmless, such as reflex or situational fainting in young people.
As a rule, it is enough to take the fainting patient to a safe and shaded place, raise the legs (to allow blood to flow to the head), check the pulse, and measure – if possible – the blood pressure. After regaining consciousness, fluids can be administered. However, even in these cases, quick contact with professional health care workers is mandatory, if the episode occurs for the first time or there is no certainty whether there was a head injury or the fainting lasts longer than usual (a dozen or so/dozens of seconds). In patients with fainting, it is important to preventively avoid situations in which they occur.
