The pancreas is a small organ behind the stomach that does two big jobs: it makes enzymes that help you digest food, and it makes insulin to control blood sugar. When it becomes inflamed, the result is pancreatitis, which can range from a short, painful episode to a long-term problem. The pain is usually hard to ignore, and some cases are serious. Here is what causes pancreatitis, how it is treated, and when it is an emergency.
What Pancreatitis Is
Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas. It comes in two forms. Acute pancreatitis starts suddenly and usually gets better within days with treatment. Chronic pancreatitis is long-lasting inflammation that slowly damages the pancreas over time and can affect digestion and blood sugar.
Symptoms
- Pain in the upper belly that may spread to the back
- Pain that gets worse after eating, especially fatty meals
- Nausea and vomiting
- A tender, swollen abdomen
- Fever and a fast heartbeat in more severe cases
With chronic pancreatitis, people may also notice weight loss and greasy, foul-smelling stools, which happen when the pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes.
Common Causes
The two most common causes are gallstones and heavy alcohol use. Gallstones can block the duct where the pancreas drains, which triggers inflammation. Other causes include high triglyceride levels, certain medications, high calcium, some infections, and in some cases an inherited tendency. Sometimes no clear cause is found.
How It Is Diagnosed
Blood tests are the first step. Levels of two pancreas enzymes, amylase and lipase, rise sharply during an attack. Imaging such as an ultrasound or CT scan shows the pancreas and can find gallstones or other problems. For ongoing or unclear cases, more detailed scans help assess the damage.
Treatment
Acute pancreatitis is usually treated in the hospital with fluids given through a vein, pain control, and rest for the pancreas. Most people improve within a few days. If gallstones caused the attack, removing the gallbladder is often recommended to prevent it from happening again. When high triglycerides or a medication is the cause, treating that problem is part of the plan.
Chronic pancreatitis focuses on managing pain, replacing the digestive enzymes the pancreas can no longer make, managing blood sugar, and stopping alcohol completely. A low-fat diet and small, frequent meals help.
Complications to Know About
Severe pancreatitis can lead to fluid collections around the pancreas, infection, and problems with other organs. Over time, chronic pancreatitis raises the risk of diabetes and, in a small number of people, pancreatic cancer. These risks are a reason to take the condition seriously and stay in follow-up.
Diet and Prevention
You can lower your risk by limiting alcohol, keeping triglycerides in a healthy range, eating a lower-fat diet, and treating gallstones when they cause symptoms. If you have had pancreatitis once, these steps also help prevent another attack.
When to Seek Emergency Care
Go to the emergency room for severe belly pain that will not ease, pain with vomiting that keeps you from holding down fluids, or pain with a fever. Severe pancreatitis needs prompt hospital treatment.
Talk to a Gastroenterologist in Mountainside, NJ
If your symptoms keep coming back or you are not sure what is causing them, Dr. Amber Khan can help. We see patients from across Union County and New Jersey.