Can heartburn occur due to inflammation of the pancreas?

When heartburn occurs due to pancreatitis, the body signals that it is time to switch to a strict diet and take drastic measures to eliminate all those factors that led to its appearance.

Unpleasant discomfort in the stomach area that occurs due to heartburn always worsens the well-being of even a healthy person, and one can only guess what kind of suffering a patient with pancreatitis experiences. Why heartburn occurs and what causes it to appear are pressing questions for many patients with pancreatic pathology.

How is a change in pancreatic function expressed?

The pancreas is an important human organ that influences the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract, the function of which is to produce special enzymes necessary for the correct and complete digestion of food, and has a guiding effect during metabolic processes.

Violation of the organ, as evidenced by heartburn, occurs due to many factors. Poor nutrition with the consumption of spicy, fatty foods, high blood sugar lead to problems with the functioning of the organ.

Pancreatitis is a dysfunction of the gland, it begins to become inflamed. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• nausea, vomiting;
• malaise;
• burning in the chest;
• bowel dysfunction: diarrhea, flatulence;
• pain in the shoulder blades of a girdle nature.

If the pathology is advanced and has become chronic, then nearby digestive organs become inflamed - the duodenum, the gallbladder.

With good pancreatic performance, the produced enzymes enter the first section of the small intestine (duodenum). During inflammation, enzymes are unable to be directed to food that needs processing, which is why their outflow is disrupted. Then these components begin to “eat” the pancreatic organ itself, which causes digestive dysfunction. In this regard, heartburn is an integral sign of pancreatitis.

Causes of the symptom

The occurrence of a burning sensation is not the main symptom of pancreatitis, but it can cause a person a lot of discomfort. The factors behind its appearance are:

1. The gland produces components that break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. When food passes throughout the gastrointestinal tract, the parenchymal gland releases the necessary molecules, resulting in the process of food absorption. In a situation where the system goes wrong and the pancreas is not able to produce the required number of pancreatic enzymes, food is not digested properly, which causes a feeling of pain in the epigastrium, a constant feeling of nausea, belching, and stool disturbances. The infiltrated food stagnates, ferments, causing increasing dysfunction of the esophagus and stomach. These processes lead to inflammation of the digestive tract and heartburn.
2. Pancreatic disorders are caused by frequent changes in the performance of other digestive organs; it becomes inflamed along with them. It is worth noting that chronic pancreatitis, its worsening, occurs simultaneously with inflammation of the mucous membrane. The disease can also occur in the presence of esophageal hernia, duodenal ulcer, or stomach ulcer. All these pathologies can be associated with the unpleasant manifestation of heartburn.
3. Since the gland is a fairly sensitive organ, it always subtly perceives various changes in food products. If you take exclusively proteins or fruits, inflammation of this organ cannot be avoided. This occurs due to the fact that the pancreas is unable to properly digest an excessive amount of fruit, and excess protein provokes a disorder of the gland’s functions. In addition, an unhealthy lifestyle negatively affects the entire digestive system. Then any pathology of the gastrointestinal tract is the cause of heartburn.

Exacerbation of pancreatitis mainly occurs when the diet is violated or the rules for treating the disease are not followed. Worsening of the acute form of the disease can lead to pancreatic necrosis, which often causes the development of multiple organ failure.

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.

Source

How to eliminate heartburn?

It is very important that the treatment of heartburn with pancreatitis is carried out in a complex manner. Therapy is aimed at:

• elimination of the main factor that caused pancreatitis and heartburn;
• consultation with a specialist on preventive measures to prevent heartburn;
• the most important thing is to remove the symptoms of pancreatitis, which upset the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and create a feeling of discomfort.

Treatment begins first with diagnosis. The duration and degree of therapy are determined individually depending on the progression of the disease.

Medications

In addition to treating the pancreas and the cause of the unpleasant burning sensation, medications are used to eliminate heartburn:

• antacids (Maalox, Rennie, Almagel) - designed to reduce acidity;
• Famotidine, Ranitidine - restore gastric acidity;
• Cisapride, Motilium - improve motor skills in gastrointestinal diseases.

It is necessary that medications be prescribed by a gastroenterologist, since self-treatment, that is, incorrect selection of medications, will only worsen the situation.

Diet

For any inflammation of the gastric mucosa or gland, you need to adhere to the correct diet. For such people, the diet used is table No. 5. It is absolutely necessary to exclude from your menu:

• fatty, fried foods;
• flour, confectionery products;
• marinades, canned food;
• smoked dishes;
• cabbage, beans.

The diet must be replenished with cereals, lean fish, meat, fruits, and dairy products. You should eat often, but little by little. Small meals are important. Avoid alcohol and smoking.

Traditional methods

There are many effective healing recipes used to eliminate unpleasant symptoms in diseases of the pancreas.

Effective recipes to get rid of heartburn:

1. Finely chop the dried calamus roots. Take ¼ teaspoon three times a day with plenty of water. The drug should not be taken for epilepsy, hypotension, or pregnancy.
2. Grind walnuts or almonds to powder, eat 1 tablespoon per day. Helps relieve heartburn and prevent its reoccurrence.
3. You can eat celery root 3 times a day before meals; 1 tablespoon will be enough. This recipe is used for remission of the disease.
4. Jerusalem artichoke helps restore metabolic processes, reduce inflammation, acidity in the body and reduce blood sugar. You can use fresh root vegetables in the form of infusions and decoctions. For example, in the presence of ulcers, Jerusalem artichoke in the form of syrup is used.
5. You will need 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds, which are poured into 100 ml of boiling water, infused for 2-3 hours, and filtered. Take 1 time per day at night.
6. Take fresh celery root 3 times a day - 1 tablespoon before meals, after chopping the root on a grater. However, in acute pancreatitis this remedy is contraindicated.
7. Potato juice is effective against burning in the chest. The vegetable is grated, 1 glass of juice is squeezed out. Add 1 tablespoon of quality honey. Use in the morning on an empty stomach and before bed. You need to drink ½ glass at a time. Treatment with this remedy lasts about 14 days, and the functioning of the stomach is noticeably improved.

The doctor will help you which folk remedy to choose, based on the stage of the disease and symptoms.

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.

Prevention

To prevent heartburn, preventive measures are taken:

• do not starve or overeat;
• strictly follow the diet prescribed by the doctor;
• take medications strictly;
• reduce intake of animal fats;
• eliminate worries and stress.

By following all of the recommendations listed, you can ensure a normal level of vital activity for people with pancreatic disease. Since burning is a sign of pancreatitis, it is important to treat the underlying pathology, and the accompanying symptom will disappear on its own.

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