ACUTE PANCREATITIS AND HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

                                                            ACUTE PANCREATITIS

DEFINITION:-

              Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the pancreas caused by auto digestion of the pancreatic tissue by its own enzymes.

AETIOLOGY:-

-          Alcoholic bout, fatty foods or trauma incurred during surgical operation may initiate inflammatory process.

-          Any obstruction at sphincter of oddi due to imp action of a gall stone.

-          Obesity, hyperparathyroidism and heredity are also known predisposing factors.

-          Its more common in middle aged fatty ladies.

-          A virus of mumps or infective hepatitis or some blood borne infection.

PATHOLOGY BEHIND PANCREATITIS:-

              There is necrosis of the pancreatic tissue. The pancreas along with areas of the peritoneum show varying grades of oedema and leucocytic infiltration (oedematous pancreatitis).in more severe cases there is collection of a hemorrhagic exudates. There is exudation of hemorrhagic often bile stains fluid into the lesser sac of peritoneum, over the peritoneum itself, or over the mesentry.fatty necrosis also occurs and produces whitish patches(due to the action of pancreatic lipase)spread all over the pancreas, peritoneum and mesentry.suppurative changes are rare. Absorption of the products of tissue digestion may cause severe toxaemia and features of shock.

SYMPTOMS:-

The main symptoms are

-          Abdominal pain.

-          Vomiting.

-          Shock.

-          Patient is seized with severe agonizing pain across the epigastrium radiating to the back.

-          Patient is restless and rolls in bed.

-          Cold, clammy skin, rapid or thread pulse.

-          Hypo-tension and low grade fever.

EXAMINATION:-

         Tenderness and rigidity may be felt in the upper part of abdomen due to peritoneal irritation. A patch of bluish discolouration of the skin around the umbilicus (Cullen’s sign) or in the loin (grey-turner’s sign) may sometimes be noticeable.

INVESTIGATIONS:-

-          Serum amylase > 100 W.units.

-          Leucocytosis – polymorpho nuclear leucocytosis.

-          Plain X-ray – gas in abdomen.

-          Ultra sonography, CT-scan shows (swollen pancreas, gall stones, may be).

COMPLICATIONS:-

-          Pancreatic abscess, pancreatic ascites.

-          Jaundice.

-          Gastro intestinal hemorrhage, paralytic ileus.

-          Peripheral circulatory failure, hyperglycemia, hypocalcaemia.

-          Portal vein thrombosis.

-          Acute renal failure.

ALLOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

-          Pethidine hydrochloride (100 mg intra muscular) is ideal for immediate relief in pain and may repeat.

-          Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance should be corrected by appropriate intra venous transfusions.

-          Atropine sulphate (1 mg intra-muscularly) to decrease pancreatic secretion.

-          A continues suction of gastric contents is done through nasal tube to relives distension and prevent vomiting.

HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

ARSENIC ALBUM:-

             A profoundly  acting remedy on liver, pancreas. Burning pains, its chilly patient, thirstless, restless, fear of incurable disease. Nausea, retching, vomiting, after eating or drinking. Craves milk, liver, spleen, pancreas enlarged and painfull.fatty degeneration, cyanosis.

BELLADONNA:-

            Heat, redness, throbbing  and burning pains, no thirst, anxiety or fear, suddenness of attacks and onset. Sensitive to least contact, strawberry tongue, swollen tongue and painful, extreme sensitive to bed clothes and touch, distension of abdomen, low grade fever, restless, chilly patient.

CONIUM:-

        It’s a wonderful medicine for any glandular affections, weakness of body, mind, trembling and pailpitation.severe aching in and around of liver region, great debility. Knife like pain in whole abdomen, distension of abdomen, chilly patient, thirst less.

IODUM PURUM:-

       Hungry with much thirsty, better after eating, pain in empty stomach, great debility even slight work leads sweating, desires cold air, inflammation of pancreas. Chronic congestive headache in old age person, cutting pain in abdomen, pancreatic disease, pain in bones at night.

IRIS VERSICOLOR:-

       Burning of whole elementary canal, good remedy for any pancreatic problem, vomiting, sour billary and blood. Nausea, profuse flow of saliva, deficient appetite. Periodical night diarrhea, with pain and greenish discharge. Shifting pain is main in iris.

PHOSPHOROUS:-

      Clairvoyance, fearfulness, fear of dark, fear of thunderstorm, vomiting, water is thrown up as soon as it gets warm in the stomach.post operative vomiting, pain in stomach reduced after cold water, Ice, ice creams. Burning pain in stomach, large yellow spots on abdomen, pancreatic disease. lascivious dreams.

SPONGIA TOSTA:-

     Anxiety and fear, bursting type of headache, tongue is dry and brown, full of vesicles, cant bear tight cloths around abdomen, excessive thirst, great hunger, awakes  in a fright, and feels as if suffocating.

Some of other drugs in homeopathy for acute pancreatitis are atropinum purum sulphuricum, baryta muraticum, kali iodum, and mercurious solliblis.