Symptoms Of Pancreatitis To Look Out For

Nausea And Vomiting

Nausea occurs when an individual feels like they need to vomit. Vomiting describes the forceful actuation of contents from the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth. Nausea is a sensation activated in an individual's brain when the body experiences an abnormal buildup of toxic substances, or when digestive organs and structures become inflamed. A pancreatitis patient may experience nausea and vomiting because of an obstruction in the duct that carries pancreatic enzymes and bile to the small intestine. A blockage in this duct causes the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, which can activate the brain's nausea center. Additionally, the nerve fibers of the nerves surrounding the pancreatic tissue that has become swollen, inflamed, and infected can become irritated and activate the nausea center in the brain.

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Steatorrhea

Steatorrhea is a term used to characterize when an individual's stools have too much fat content. An individual affected by steatorrhea has stools that are foul-smelling, unusually bulky, and pale. Steatorrhea tends to float and may be covered in a greasy-like film due to the higher fat and gas content. The presence of steatorrhea means an individual's digestive system cannot digest and absorb certain nutrients such as dietary fats the way it should. Certain digestive enzymes and other substances are required to help break down the nutrients in food when they reach the stomach and small intestine. When specific enzymes or digestive substances are not secreted into the stomach or small intestine to assist with digestion, the non-digested nutrients will remain in the stool until it is excreted. When the pancreas is inflamed or infected due to pancreatitis, it cannot secrete digestive enzymes required for the digestion of dietary fats. When these fats remain in the stool when it is excreted, it causes steatorrhea.

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