Understanding Pancreatitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

Pancreatitis describes the inflammation of the pancreas, a gland that lies in the upper abdomen behind the stomach. It produces hormones and enzymes that regulate digestion and glucose level in the blood.
Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic, depending on the duration of the disease. Acute pancreatitis starts abruptly and lasts around a week with proper treatment. Chronic pancreatitis is a persistent condition; it can״come and go״ or last continually for a long time. Causes for both diseases include gallstones, alcohol consumption, damage to the abdomen, certain medications, and cancer.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Alcoholic pancreatitis
- Common bile duct stone with acute pancreatitis
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pancreatitis
- Drug induced acute pancreatitis
- Gallstone pancreatitis
- Hereditary pancreatitis
- Metabolic pancreatitis
- Pancreatic abscess
- Idiopathic Pancreatitis
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Acute Pancreatitis

Signs & symptoms

Pancreatitis symptoms may include:
- Pain or discomfort in the upper stomach’s that may radiate to the back.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Diarrhea and indigestion.
- Fever.
- Weight loss.
- Bloating and swollen abdomen.
- Fatty stools, with a particularly foul odor (called ״steatorrhea״).

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by questioning and investigating the medical history and physical examination to provide additional information and exclude other diseases. Further tests include:
- Blood testing – including pancreatic function tests.
- Stool sampling test.
- Abdominal ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans.
- The secretin stimulation test is a procedure that measures the pancreas’s function. Secretin is a hormone that stimulates the pancreas. In this procedure, secretin is injected into the vein. Meanwhile, a special tube is inserted through the mouth to the intestine. The tube collects fluid that later will be processed in a lab to aid the diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment of pancreatitis usually includes hospitalization and massive amounts of fluid supply. Additionally, patients may be bound from eating to help the pancreas ״rest״. Also, some medications may be administered. Sometimes, surgery is indicated, in which the diseased parts of the pancreas will be removed. In cases where gallstones are suspected as the cause of the inflammation, gallbladder removal surgery may be suggested.

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital