Does acute pancreatitis cause abdominal muscle tension?

Written by Wu Hai Wu

Gastroenterology

Updated on September 09, 2024

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If a patient with acute pancreatitis shows symptoms of peritonitis, abdominal muscle rigidity may occur. Acute pancreatitis is divided into acute edematous pancreatitis and acute hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis. The main symptoms of acute edematous pancreatitis include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. If it is hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis, it can lead to shock, respiratory distress syndrome, high fever, jaundice, abdominal distension, and the abdominal compartment syndrome in the patient. Severe cases can cause intestinal paralysis and signs of peritoneal irritation, leading to abdominal muscle rigidity and also possibly presenting with shifting dullness, among other symptoms.

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Written by Li Qiang

Intensive Care Unit

1min 10sec

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What causes acute severe pancreatitis?

There are many causes of severe pancreatitis, including the following: The first type is alcoholic pancreatitis, which is caused by heavy drinking leading to pancreatic damage. The second type is pancreatitis due to overeating, where consuming large amounts of food, especially high-fat foods, leads to excessive secretion by the pancreas, resulting in pancreatitis. Another type is biliary pancreatitis, caused by small gallstones from the gallbladder falling into the bile duct. Stones lodged at the opening of the pancreatic and bile ducts cause a secretion disorder in the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. There is also hyperlipidemic pancreatitis, seen in pregnant women and patients with familial hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia causes blockage of the pancreatic duct, thereby triggering an episode of pancreatitis. Another is traumatic pancreatitis, which is directly caused by external forces leading to compression or contusion injuries of the pancreas. Lastly, there is drug-induced pancreatitis, which occurs when certain medications have a direct toxic effect on the pancreas, causing damage to the pancreatic cells.

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Written by He Zong Quan

General Surgery

55sec

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Is it normal to have a fever with acute pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis often occurs following gallstones, hyperlipidemia, and alcohol consumption. Patients with acute pancreatitis sometimes exhibit clear symptoms, including fever. This is due to the significant inflammatory irritation and the extravasation of pancreatic juices, causing infection and effusion around the pancreatic tissue. If not treated promptly, the fever may persist. Therefore, after diagnosing acute pancreatitis, treatments such as dietary restrictions, gastrointestinal decompression, enzyme inhibition, acid suppression, correction of fluid and electrolyte balance, and anti-infection measures should be taken. These treatments can delay or alleviate the progression of acute pancreatitis and help the patient's body recover sooner, thereby reducing the fever.

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Written by Li Qiang

Intensive Care Unit

51sec

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What is acute severe pancreatitis?

Acute severe pancreatitis is caused by many reasons, including binge eating, especially consuming a large amount of high-fat diet, excessive drinking, obstruction of the pancreatic duct by gallstones in the bile duct, pregnancy, hyperlipidemia, etc. These lead to disorders in pancreatic secretion, resulting in pancreatic juices digesting the pancreas itself and leaking into the abdominal cavity, leading to symptoms such as abdominal effusion. It is classified as severe pancreatitis based on reaching a certain score in some assessments. Severe pancreatitis often accompanies dysfunction of organ systems, common examples include acute respiratory distress syndrome characterized by stubborn hypoxia and respiratory failure, acute renal failure shown by anuria or oliguria, and acute gastrointestinal failure, which manifests as high abdominal pressure and severe intestinal motility disorders, including abdominal distension.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming

Gastroenterology

56sec

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What are the clinical manifestations of acute pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis includes two main types: acute edematous pancreatitis and acute necrotizing pancreatitis. It is a common acute and critical condition of the digestive system, particularly acute necrotizing pancreatitis, which can often be life-threatening. The primary symptoms usually include severe upper left abdominal pain, fever, chills, shivering, vomiting, etc. There is a significant relationship between abdominal pain and eating; generally, the pain worsens after eating and can sometimes radiate to the back. The main causes could be binge drinking, overeating, cholecystitis, gallstones, or hyperlipidemia, among others. Diagnosis is usually confirmed through examinations such as an upper abdominal CT and serum and urine amylase tests, followed by appropriate treatment measures.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu

Gastroenterology

47sec

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Can you drink water with acute pancreatitis?

Patients with acute pancreatitis cannot drink water or eat anything during the acute phase. They must undergo gastrointestinal decompression to suction out gastric juice, gastric acid, and gastric contents. At the same time, treatment for acute pancreatitis includes inhibiting pancreatic secretion, anti-infection measures, intravenous fluid replenishment, and maintaining electrolyte balance, among others. If a patient with acute pancreatitis experiences bowel movements, gas, relief from abdominal pain, and a decrease in blood amylase to normal levels, they may then consider drinking small amounts of water and consuming light foods like rice soup or thin porridge. If the abdominal pain disappears, the patient can gradually increase their water intake.