The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and next to the small intestine. The pancreas does two main things:
It releases powerful digestive enzymes into the small intestine to aid the digestion of food.
It releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body control how it uses food for energy.
Pancreatic stones develop from calcium deposits in the pancreas and can block the flow of digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine. They occur mostly in individuals who suffer from chronic pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition often associated long-term alcohol abuse.
Between 20 to 30 percent of patients with chronic pancreatitis form small pancreas stones or protein plugs. When the pancreatic stones block the pancreatic duct, which connects the pancreas with the small intestine, the pancreas can no longer release digestive enzymes; its secretion of hormones that regulate blood sugar levels can also be affected.
In addition to the stones that form in the pancreas, stones that form in the gallbladder (gallstones) may become lodged in the common bile duct, which merges with the pancreatic duct. This is a cause of acute pancreatitis.
Pancreatic duct stones may be as small as a grain of sand, or much larger. The stone or stones may number from one stone to many.
SYMPTOMS
The most typical symptom of pancreatitis and pancreatic duct stone disease is severe steady pain in the upper abdomen or right side. The pain may last for as little as 15 minutes or as long as several hours. The pain may also be felt between the shoulder blades or in the right shoulder. Sometimes patients also have vomiting or sweating. Attacks of pain may be separated by weeks, months or even years.
Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis may vary, depending on which type you experience.
Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:
Upper abdominal pain
Abdominal pain that radiates to your back
Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating
Nausea
Vomiting
Tenderness when touching the abdomen
Chronic pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:
Upper abdominal pain
Indigestion
Losing weight without trying
Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhea)
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT
Pancreatic stones are effectively treated with Homoeopathic remedies. They are spontaneously dissolved with the administration of Dynamic Homoeopathic remedies; but the dissolution is not due to the direct biochemical action of the Homoeopathic drugs but they enable or stimulate the human body to heal by its own. Sometimes a few days are enough to remove the stone when the selected remedial agent fits well to the case. Homoeopath considers the peculiarities of the genetic makeup through signs and symptoms of the individual rather than of the disease. Of course in the final selection of the remedy it is must that the remedy should cover the pathological aspects also. It is through such a complex process Homoeopath reaches the medicine which is made easy through experience.