Pancreatitis: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A health specialist gastroenterologist will be apt to treat patients suffering from pancreatitis.

Know the symptoms, causes, stages, and treatment of pancreatitis.

(Photo: iStock)

Pancreatitis occurs when your pancreas is inflamed and its normal functioning is also affected. The pancreas is a long, flat gland situated behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The main function of the pancreas is to produce enzymes that help in digestion and hormones that help regulate the way sugar or glucose is processed in our body.

Pancreatitis can occur suddenly and lasts for days. Mild cases of pancreatitis can be treated but severe cases can be fatal. Chronic cases of pancreatitis may last for years.

Know the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis: Signs & Symptoms 

According to the doctors of the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of pancreatitis may differ from patient to patient depending on the severity of the case. A few signs and symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain

• Abdominal pain that may spread to your back

• Tenderness near the abdomen

• Fever

• Rapid pulse

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Abdominal pain that becomes worse after eating

• Sudden weight loss

• Steatorrhea

Pancreatitis: Causes 

According to the doctors of Cleveland Clinic, pancreatitis affects a person when the enzymes produced by the pancreas get activated before their release or when they are still in the pancreas. this results in irritation and inflammation.

If you suffer from regular episodes of acute pancreatitis, your pancreas may get damaged and lead to chronic pancreatitis. It may result in the formation of scar tissue in the pancreas, causing loss of function which will further result in poor digestion and diabetes.

Other conditions that can lead to acute pancreatitis include:

• Gallstones

• Alcoholism

• Certain medications

• Hypertriglyceridemia

• Hypercalcemia

• Pancreatic cancer

• Abdominal surgery

• Cystic fibrosis

• Infection

• Injury to the abdomen

• Obesity

Pancreatitis: Diagnosis

Your health provider may ask you questions about your symptoms and may suspect pancreatitis in cases of heavy alcohol use or gallstone disease. Then, the healthcare professional may take further tests to confirm the condition. According to MedicalNewsToday, diagnosis tests for Pancreatitis include:

• Blood tests to measure the levels of two digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase) that are produced by the pancreas. High levels of these enzymes indicate acute pancreatitis.

• Ultrasound or CT scan to get images of your pancreas, gall bladder, and bile duct.

• Secretin pancreatic function test to check your pancreas’s response to a hormone (secretin) released by the small intestine.

• Oral glucose tolerance test to measure how your body processes sugar with a blood test before and after you drink a sugary liquid.

• Stool test to see if your body is having difficulty breaking down fat.

• Endoscopic ultrasound to take clearer pictures of your pancreas and connecting ducts.

• ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) to see inside the pancreas and bile duct. It also helps remove anything that may be blocking the pancreas or bile duct, such as a gallstone or pancreas stone.

Pancreatitis: Treatment 

In case you have pancreatitis, it is better to visit a specialist or a doctor who specialises in the digestive system (gastroenterologist). Few ways to manage and treat the condition include:

• Hospitalisation for supportive care and monitoring

• Pain medications

• Endoscopic procedure to remove a gallstone, other blockage, or damaged part of the pancreas

• Supplemental pancreatic enzymes and insulin