Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, and can be acute or chronic. The pancreas sits behind the stomach and aids in digestion and absorption. When inflammed, it can cause serious health issues. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect several parts of the body including the joints, heart, kidney and even the blood. Read on to find out more about the symptoms and causes of pancreatitis and lupus.
Identification
Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that can usually be treated in a few days. However, it is life-threatening and can have serious complications. Generally, people with acute pancreatitis have pain in their upper abdomen that may extend to the back. This pain may get worse after eating. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, fever, a swollen and tender abdomen and a rapid pulse. In severe cases, the person may feel dehydrated or have low blood pressure.
Identification
Most people who have lupus experience symptoms in just a few organs, but it can attack all organs in the body. Symptoms of lupus include skin rashes, swollen joints and arthritis, achy joints, extreme fatigue, anemia, pain in the chest when breathing deeply and butterfly shaped rashed on the cheeks and nose.
Considerations
Pancreatitis symptoms can be as similar in people who have lupus to people who don't have lupus. In fact, pancreatitis can often be one of the first signs of lupus. The disease is treated differently in patients with lupus than those without it.
Theories/Speculation
The causes of lupus are not yet known, but there are genetic and environmental factors that may cause the disease to flare up. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, enviromental light, extreme stress and certain hormones may trigger the disease, as well as families who have a genetic predisposition to the disease. Lupus can appear at any age in men and women, although it is known as a "woman's disease." It does occur 10 to 15 times more often in adult women than men, and in people of African American, American Indian and Asian descent. However, the causes for this are not yet known.
Types
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, the most common cause of acute pancreatitis is the presence of gallstones. Gallstones are small stones composed of hardened bile that cause the inflammation of the pancreas. Chronic and heavy alcohol use over several years is also another cause of pancreatitis. In addition, there are other causes of pancreatitis, which include cystic fibrosis, hyperlipidemia, hereditary disorders of the pancreas, hypercalcemia and various autoimmune conditions.
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