Essay On Pancreatitis

"Cancer of the pancreas is a genetic disease that is the fifth most common cause of death in both men and women. Pancreatic cancer affects approximately 28,000 Americans each year, or five out of 100,000 people" (Mayo Clinic, 1998). According to physicians at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, "pancreatic cancer is the challenge of the twenty-first century." So, where exactly is the pancreas located in our bodies, and what does it do? The pancreas is a gland found behind the stomach that is shaped somewhat like a fish. The pancreas is about six inches long and less than two inches wide, and it extends across the abdomen. The pancreas consists of two separate glands inside the same organ, the exocrine gland and the

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. Inflammation usually forms when a gallstone blocks the cystic duct that transports bile. Cholecystitis is the most common problem resulting from gallbladder stones (90% of the cases).

Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that affects a person’s digestive system with no known cause. When Crohn’s disease strikes, it can affect any part of your digestive system ranging from your mouth, all the way to your anus. Crohn’s disease is chronic and there is no known cure for this condition. So basically, once someone is diagnosed with this condition, they might as well get used to living out the remainder of their life being affected by Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s is not, shall we say, “constant”. The symptoms happen on and off in what are usually called “flare-ups”.

When I became sick I later found out it was due to gallbladder issues. I was having severe chest pains and I couldn’t keep any food down, not even crackers. I was never aware of the cause of this till I was hospitalized with the worst chest pain. I had over eight hours of chest pains

The symptoms adults experience are much the same as the children experience without the stunning of growth and affect on puberty. Some adults having a mild form of the disease exhibit almost no symptoms. Others may experience a loss or gain in appetite, abdominal pain, bloating, gas or indigestion. In addition, other people have bothersome symptoms including diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, and excessive gas caused by vitamin and nutrient deficiencies (The Mayo Clinic staff, 2011).

Acute Pancreatitis: Acute inflammation of the pancreas.The most common pathogenic mechanism is autodigestion of the pancreas. The etiological factor injures pancreatic cells or activates the pancreatic enzymes in the pancreas rather than in the intestine which may be due to reflux of bile acids into the pancreatic duct through an open or distended sphincter of Oddi. The result may also be caused by blockage created by a gallstone. Obstruction of pancreatic ducts results in pancreatic ischemia.The pathophysiology involvement of acute pancreatitis is

One of these symptoms is jaundice, which is characterized by yellowish skin and eyes because of an inability of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood. Patient with cirrhosis also suffering from itching, due to deposited bile's products in the skin. This patient also suffers from accumulation of fluid in legs that is called edema. As a result of the blockage of blood flow via the liver, fluid accumulation in abdomen which is worsen by the decrease in protein production. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and nausea. As the disease progress, complications may develop ,such as varices that happens with cirrhosis patient when the blood flow through the liver slows, so the blood from intestine go back to the vessels of the stomach and esophagus, these vessels are not meant to carry this much of blood so they dilate (varices), with increasing

Crohn 's disease is one of two conditions referred to by the term "Inflammatory Bowel Disease" (IBD). The other condition that is referred to as an IBD is called Ulcerative Colitis. Both Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis are conditions that cause recurring or persistent inflammation in one or more sections of the intestine. The literal definition of "inflammation" is "being set on fire". It is a protective reaction that happens when tissue is injured or destroyed. There are two types of inflammations. The first is acute inflammation, which is defined by heat, redness, pain and swelling. The

1. Describe the anatomic location of the pancreas relative to the other organs in the upper portion of the abdominal cavity. - The pancreas is about 6 inches long and sits across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach and liver, leveled with the top of the small intestine and it also borders the liver, spleen and kidneys. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen and is connected to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine) through a small tube called the pancreatic duct. The narrow end of the pancreas, called the tail, extends to the left side of the body.

“Each year, acute pancreatitis sends more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. Many of those who suffer from pancreatic problems are also heavy drinkers” (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact Your Health” 15). The pancreas is an important organ which aids in digestions and energy conversion. The pancreas directs enzymes to the small intestine to digest nutrients and it also secretes insulin and glucagon. The body’s main source of energy is glucose and insulin allows additional glucose to be stored away in the body properly. Too much alcohol damages cells in the pancreas, causing complications with insulin, leaving the organ open to inflammation. Alcohol causes the pancreas to discharge the enzymes intended for the small intestine back into the pancreas which can lead to inflammation and the swelling of tissues and blood vessels. Pancreatitis is the inflammation which causes the organ to malfunction and if one continues to drink, it can magnify into chronic pancreatitis when the inflammation is constant (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact Your Health” 15-16). Pancreatitis causing severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, and is not curable. Sixty-percent of circumstances result from alcohol; although, some have been linked to gallstones (Freeman).

The pancreas is located between the stomach and small intestine, and secretes insulin and glucagon to balance blood sugar levels in the body. When the pancreas does not work properly, a person may be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, which is more commonly known simply as Diabetes (Morris and Maisto, 2002). People with diabetes suffer from extreme thirst, fatigue, lack of or increased appetite, and a myriad of other symptoms if their condition is not controlled properly with diet, exercise, and medications (if needed) (Steadman’s Concise Medical Dictionary, 2001).

The total pancreatectomy is used for removes the whole pancreas and the spleen. It is possible to live without a pancreas but these people had increased diabetes, which can be complicate to control. People who complete this surgery moreover need to take pancreatic enzyme pills for digesting of certain foods.

For this week’s discussion topic, I have decided to talk about Crohn's disease. This disease causes inflammation of the bowels and the lining of the digestive tract. According to WebMD, Crohns is caused by an immune reaction against the intestinal tract and it can cause the small intestine to become inflamed, which hinders the absorption of nutrients (WebMD, n.d). Some symptoms that accompany Crohns disease are malnutrition, diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, and abdominal pain. According to the Mayo clinic serious problems can occur for people suffering from Chohns disease. Such problems include ulcers, colon cancer and bowl obstructions (The Mayo Clinic n.d.).

This causes chronic inflammation and ulceration of the large intestine, which causes severe pain and discomfort for the patient. This is why this disease falls under the category of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and is also referred to as an autoimmune disease. Furthermore, we still don’t

It is not always active, meaning there may be periods of remission without signs or symptoms, periods when the disease flares up periodically, and periods when it is active and felt all the time. The signs and symptoms usually develop gradually but can also come on suddenly. Crohn’s disease affects everyone differently and may change over time (AbbVie, 2016; Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). Its main signs and symptoms—diarrhea, fever and fatigue—are probably due to inflammation or infection. Additional symptoms include blood in the stool, mouth sores, and abdominal pain and cramping, which can lead to nausea and vomiting; reduced appetite and weight loss due to the inability to digest and absorb food properly; and perianal disease (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). Individuals with severe Crohn’s disease may also experience inflammation of the liver or bile ducts as well as of the skin, eyes, and joints. Additionally, there may be delayed growth or sexual development in children (Mayo Clinic Staff,