Many people have a very vague understanding of the functions of the pancreas. Meanwhile, this organ plays an important role in the digestion process: the gland secretes enzymes for breaking down food, as well as hormones that normalize carbohydrate metabolism. Heartburn with pancreatitis indicates a pronounced inflammatory process in the organ.
What are the reasons for its occurrence, what should be done to normalize the patient’s condition?
Causes of heartburn with pancreatitis
The inflammatory process in the pancreas has the main symptom - heartburn, which appears for the following reasons:
- The breakdown of fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates is carried out in the “pancreas” with the help of enzymes. The food consumed, moving through the digestive system, is susceptible to the action of digestive enzymes and is successfully broken down. However, if there is a failure in the digestive system, the contents of the stomach continue to flow, but in a state that is not ready for absorption. As a result, a person experiences symptoms such as pain, nausea, heartburn, as well as vomiting and stool disorders. Over time, the unprocessed contents of the stomach stagnate and sour, which ultimately leads to inflammation of the esophagus and stomach.
- Disorders of the digestive tract along with inflammation of the pancreas can cause a burning sensation in the esophagus. For example, inflammation of the mucous layer of the esophagus together with chronic pancreatitis or a stomach ulcer.
- Burning pain behind the sternum occurs with pancreatitis due to sudden changes in a person’s life or diet. The pancreas is sensitive to such changes and therefore reacts painfully to them.
Enzyme therapy regimens for errors in food intake
With the help of Pancreatin, food processing is accelerated. From it the body receives energy, valuable vitamins, and nutrients that ensure vital functions. Excessive overeating disrupts the digestion process and causes functional failure of the stomach, gallbladder and pancreatic enzymes. Repeated systematic violations are the cause of many organic diseases.
More often, uncontrollability of appetite appears due to alcohol intake. If a person, unnoticed by himself, gets carried away with food and feels heaviness in the upper half of the abdomen, belching, then he should urgently take 2 Pancreatin tablets and wash them down with water. The drug helps process fatty and fried meat foods, hot seasonings.
To ensure that enzymes enter the intestines, you need to walk around, you can dance, but do not lie on the sofa. Immobility increases stagnation in the stomach. Taking sulfate mineral waters without bubbles helps. For healthy people, overload of the digestive tract leads to a threat not only to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but also to increased blood pressure, varicose veins of the extremities, and joint pain. For men, this is one of the reasons for weak erections.
Important! There is no point in taking Pancreatin while continuing to drink alcohol.
If symptoms occur in a patient with chronic pancreatitis and resemble an exacerbation, then pancreatin should not be taken. The drug is also contraindicated in cases of suspected intestinal obstruction or hypersensitivity to the components.
Before a festive feast, to prevent overeating, you can take 2 Pancreatin tablets before meals or during the meal. Knowing about subsequent unpleasant symptoms, it is better to limit the intake of alcoholic beverages, soda, and spicy foods. You need to eat vegetable salads, boiled meat and fish products, and avoid fatty pastries and cakes. You should sit at your desk less and move more.
Pancreatin helps in various situations of impaired digestion, but it should be used only on the recommendation of a doctor. Its effect occurs only when it enters the small intestine along with semi-liquid food contents. Taking pills on an empty stomach is useless and harmful. To select the dosage and course therapy, you should undergo an examination and find out the cause of the disease. In addition to medications, you must follow a strict diet.
Heartburn occurs as a result of the irritating effects of acidic gastric juice, which is thrown into the esophagus for various reasons. For example, the reasons for reverse reflux can be: physical activity in an inclined position of the body immediately after eating, reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice and other reasons.
Treatment of the pancreas for heartburn
The drug can be prescribed to reduce acidity levels.
Treatment of burning pain in the esophagus due to pancreas disease should be carried out comprehensively and according to the recommendations of a doctor. The specialist may first prescribe medications that are aimed at eliminating acute attacks of pain and reducing acidity levels. For this purpose, pharmacy chains offer the following medications:
- "Almagel";
- "Renny";
- "Maalox."
After the painful sensations are neutralized, you should proceed directly to the treatment of heartburn. The following medications will help with this:
- "Omeprazole";
- "Famotidine";
- "Ranitidine";
- "Ganatol";
- "Motilium".
Instructions for use
“Pancreatin” is produced in pink tablets of 192 mg and 384 mg, 1, 2 and 5, 6 blisters in a cardboard package or in bulk in a plastic jar. 1 tablet contains 192 mg of pancreatin with enzymes:
- lipase – 7000 IU,
- amylase – 5000 IU,
- protease – 400 IU.
According to the instructions, "Pancreatin" is prescribed to adults, 1-3 tablets orally during or after meals. Children over 6 years old - 1 tablet per day with meals. Children under 6 years old - as prescribed by a doctor.
The dose of the drug and the course of treatment are adjusted by the doctor and determined by the specifics of the disease.
To avoid the possible development of heartburn after a heavy meal, for example during the holidays, it is recommended to take 1 tablet with meals.
Preventive measures
If a patient is diagnosed with “Pankeratitis,” then heartburn will be an accompanying symptom for the entire duration of the illness. While treatment is ongoing, doctors recommend that patients take preventive measures that can neutralize the burning sensation in the esophagus. The first step is to review your diet and exclude possible pancreatic irritants from it. Thus, it is necessary to avoid spicy, fatty, overly sweet, sour and fatty foods. Rich meat broths, alcoholic drinks, carbonated drinks with dyes are not recommended.
Prevention of heartburn includes a daily routine. You should not lead a sedentary lifestyle, go to bed after eating, or, conversely, engage in active physical activity immediately after a meal. Doctors insist on giving up store-bought juices and hard-to-digest fruits. It is important not to self-medicate, but if there is a strong and regular burning sensation in the esophagus, immediately consult a doctor, this will reduce the risk of complications from heartburn.
Contraindications and side effects
- Individual intolerance to the components of the drug;
- Acute forms of pancreatitis or exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease;
- In some cases, the drug causes stool upset, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, nausea or allergic reactions (mainly rash and itching on the skin).
Regarding the use of the drug during pregnancy and lactation, there are no strict prohibitions, but this is due to insufficient research on this issue. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before use.
As a result, I would like to note that the answer to the question of whether pancreatitis helps the stomach and eliminates heartburn is yes. But it is important to understand that taking the medicine is justified only in specific cases, that is, it is used for certain reasons for the occurrence of a burning attack.
Proper nutrition
Therapeutic diet plays an important role in the treatment of pancreatitis and heartburn resulting from inflammation of the pancreas. Proper nutrition, which will help neutralize the burning sensation in the esophagus, is based on eating fresh and natural foods. In order not to overload the pancreas, you should eat five or six times a day, but in small portions, and the last meal should be two hours before bedtime.
To improve intestinal motility, you should regularly consume the following foods:
- Vegetable fats. They are introduced into the daily diet in small quantities to restore metabolism.
- Fermented milk products. The patient's menu must include cottage cheese and yogurt, but with a minimum fat content.
- Freshly squeezed vegetable juices.
- Cereals. To improve the functioning of the digestive tract, you should regularly consume fiber; it can be found in large quantities in cereals.
- Lean fish and meat.
The therapeutic diet is based on the consumption of healthy foods, so coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks and strong tea should be excluded from the patient’s diet. Doctors recommend consuming as little sugar as possible. Eating should not be done quickly; food should be chewed thoroughly so that it is well absorbed. Buckwheat porridge eaten on an empty stomach has a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Bran bread, wheat pasta and brown rice stabilize the secretion of stomach acid.
Main symptoms
You can understand that the pancreas is inflamed not only by such an unpleasant symptom as heartburn, but also by other symptoms. They can provide additional evidence of pancreatitis if it has not yet been diagnosed by a specialist. In most cases, the disease is accompanied by diarrhea, weakness, flatulence, attacks of nausea and vomiting. Appears with pancreatitis and pain in the shoulder blades.
Inflammation of the pancreas can become chronic. In this case, the problem spreads to other organs. And the symptoms are complemented by signs characteristic of diseases of the duodenum or gallbladder.
Traditional methods of treatment
Alternative medicine does not stand aside and offers its own methods of treating heartburn, which is caused by inflammation of the pancreas. Traditional recipes are as follows:
- Infusion of wormwood and chamomile. To prepare a herbal infusion, you should steam a tablespoon of herbs with a glass of boiling water in different containers and leave to infuse for two hours. Before eating, you should drink 100 ml of wormwood tincture, and after 10-15 minutes drink the same amount of chamomile liquid. It is important to take medicinal infusions on an empty stomach in the morning and throughout the day before meals. The duration of therapy is on average two weeks.
- Soda solution. To prepare this remedy for heartburn, dissolve a small spoon of soda in 1/3 glass of water, previously boiled and cooled. Despite the simplicity of this moment, not everyone can use it. Soda solution has contraindications, so before treating heartburn you should consult your doctor to avoid undesirable consequences.
- Apple vinegar. It is enough to drink half a glass of apple vinegar before meals every day and there will be no trace of heartburn. The duration of therapy is 21 days.
- Potato juice.
You can relieve the burning sensation in the esophagus with the help of To treat heartburn, drink potato juice . To do this, peel the tubers and squeeze a glass of juice out of them. The resulting liquid is diluted with one tablespoon of honey. You should take the heartburn remedy in the morning and evening, in the morning on an empty stomach, and in the evening just before bed. You need to drink half a glass at once. The duration of therapy reaches two weeks, however, if desired, you can continue to drink potato juice, this helps to improve the functioning of the stomach. - Chopped nuts. You can neutralize the burning pain behind the sternum with the help of walnuts or almonds. They should be crushed to a powder consistency and the finished mass should be consumed in a large spoon per day. This remedy will not only remove heartburn, but also prevent its recurrence.
- Infusion of flax seeds. You can prevent burning pain behind the sternum with the help of flaxseed infusion. To prepare it, take two spoons of seeds and pour 100 ml of boiled water over them. The liquid is left to infuse for two to three hours, after which it is filtered through cheesecloth. It is necessary to use the remedy once a day before going to bed, 100 ml.
- Egg shells. To prepare this heartburn remedy, boil one egg, remove the shell and grind it to a powdery consistency. The finished composition is taken in the morning, at lunch and in the evening, half a small spoon.
- Celery. According to many people, celery is one of the best remedies that fight heartburn. To prepare a remedy for burning in the esophagus, you should take a fresh root, grind it and dry it. You need to take two small spoons of the crushed mass and pour a glass of boiling water. The liquid is left to infuse for two hours. The finished product should be drunk 100 ml several times a day. In addition to celery infusion, you can use fresh plant root to neutralize heartburn. It is finely chopped and consumed two large spoons in the morning, at lunch and in the evening half an hour before meals. The duration of therapy is 30 days.
- Viburnum jam. You can get rid of heartburn with viburnum jam. It can be purchased at the market or in a store, or you can make it yourself.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnant women often suffer from such a symptom as heartburn, especially in the later stages, when the enlarged uterus puts pressure on neighboring internal organs. Therefore, treatment of heartburn during pregnancy is a very pressing problem. For heartburn during pregnancy, Pancreatin can also be prescribed. However, the drug is used in extreme cases and under the strict supervision of a doctor. The effect of the drug on the developing fetus has not been fully studied. It is also possible to prescribe the drug during lactation with caution.
Current causes of the disease
The main reasons that cause the development of one or another type of pancreatitis are nutritional disorders and poor lifestyle. With an unhealthy diet, especially when consuming large amounts of fatty, fried, peppered or salty foods, the pancreas is hyperstimulated, which begins to work to the limit of its capabilities.
At the same time, it produces more enzymes than it can secrete through the excretory ducts. Because of this, stagnation and increased intraductal pressure develop. Typically, the body can cope with this condition by gradually releasing secretions into the lumen of the duodenum. However, this kind of unhealthy diet also stimulates increased synthesis of bile, the excretory ducts of which unite with the pancreatic duct immediately before flowing into the intestine.
Since there is a simultaneous increase in the synthesis and secretion of bile and pancreatic secretions, the likelihood of stasis in both systems increases. As a result, pathological processes develop in the hepatobiliary system and pancreas. This is also facilitated by gallstones, which can block the above-described duct, as well as an increase in the density of bile.
