Pancreatitis
A disease of the endocrine system, pancreatitis can cause severe abdominal pain, fever and nausea and vomiting.
Pancreatitis develops when the digestive juices that your pancreas makes actually begins to break down the organ itself. This disease, which can either be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term), can cause internal bleeding, infection, tissue scarring and organ failure. Chronic pancreatitis actually causes the pancreas to slowly destroy itself.
Gallstones that block the pancreatic duct, a tube that connects the pancreas to part of the small intestine, can cause acute pancreatitis. However, heavy alcohol use is a primary cause of both acute and chronic pancreatitis.
Several days in the hospital can help resolve acute pancreatitis, but chronic pancreatitis can be much more difficult to treat, especially if the patient is an alcoholic. The surgical removal of certain nerves may be needed to relieve the severe abdominal pain associated with chronic pancreatitis.
Recently Answered
- Q How does chronic pancreatitis affect the body?
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Chronic pancreatitis causes irreversible damage to the pancreas. The pancreas manufactures digestive enzymes and hormones that control the level of sugar in the blood. As the damage to the pancreas advances, the pancreas produces progressively fewer... Full Answer
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- Q What other conditions are found in people with pancreatitis?
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People with pancreatitis are often found to have other conditions. Diabetes and pancreatic cancer are two conditions that may result from pancreatitis. Due to damage from the build up of digestive enzymes, the pancreas can become permanently inflamed,... Full Answer
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- Q How does pancreatitis affect diabetes?
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If you have chronic pancreatitis, it can have a major impact on diabetes management as well as your overall health. Infection and inflammation in your pancreas can affect blood glucose control and might also affect your absorption and digestion... Full Answer
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- Q How does acute pancreatitis affect the body?
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Acute pancreatitis is the result of pancreatic fluid digesting the pancreas and is very painful. The damaged pancreas allows toxins into the bloodstream, causing damage to other organs. Severe acute pancreatitis may cause parts of the pancreas to die. If... Full Answer
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- Q How do other illnesses affect acute pancreatitis?
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Other conditions raise an individual's risk of having acute pancreatitis. These include high blood levels of parathyroid hormone, calcium, or triglycerides low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) mumps infections and ulcers cancer of the pancreas cystic... Full Answer
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- Q Should I talk to my doctor about my pancreatitis symptoms?
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Talk to your doctor about pancreatitis symptoms like severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, dehydration, rapid pulse, or fever. These symptoms indicate organ failure, low blood pressure, infection, and chemical imbalance in the body. It is... Full Answer
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- Q What are the symptoms of acute pancreatitis?
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The most common symptom of acute pancreatitis is severe pain in the upper abdomen. In about half the individuals with this condition, the pain radiates from the abdomen to the back. If the cause is gallstones, the pain will occur suddenly and rapidly... Full Answer
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- Q What are the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis?
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The most common symptom of chronic pancreatitis is pain in the abdomen that may be severe and last for hours or days. The individual may lose weight for no apparent reason and have trouble digesting food. They may notice oily stools as well. Eventually,... Full Answer
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- Q Should I talk to my doctor about my acute pancreatitis symptoms?
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Acute pancreatitis is a potentially fatal condition. If you are experiencing severe pain in the upper abdomen, particularly if you cannot find a position that makes it go away, you should seek emergency treatment. In mild cases, the death rate is less... Full Answer
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- Q Does acute pancreatitis affect children differently than adults?
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Acute pancreatitis rarely affects children. Usually, the cause of this condition in children is unidentified. Those children who have had an injury to the abdomen, who have inherited the condition, or who have cystic fibrosis may sometimes get acute... Full Answer
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