Charlotte, NC
Bibhusan Basnet, MD
Himal Bikram Bhattarai, MD
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It happens when digestive juices or enzymes attack the pancreas gland itself.
Pancreas lies behind your stomach. It produces enzymes like amylase, lipase, protease, and trypsinogen for absorption. Through the pancreatic duct, it secretes digestive fluids into the small intestine. The pancreas also releases the hormones glucagon and insulin into circulation.
There are two types of Pancreatitis: acute Pancreatitis and chronic Pancreatitis.
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The chronic pancreatic disorder is the progressive inflammation of the pancreas. It does not heal or improve but worsens over time, leading to permanent damage. In severe cases, it may cause the pancreas to stop making digestive enzymes and insulin.
Learn more about chronic Pancreatitis down below:
The acute pancreatic disorder is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas and usually goes away in a few days with treatment.
The common symptoms of acute Pancreatitis are severe pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, and vomiting. The abdominal pain can be constant and radiate to your back. In gallstone pancreatitis, you can have yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice). People with acute pancreatitis typically appear and feel extremely ill and require immediate medical attention.
Your doctor will do a clinical examination, order laboratory tests, and radiological imaging (USG or CT scan) of the abdomen. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and the duration of the symptoms. Your doctor will also inquire about any medications you have been taking recently. A personal or family medical history of pancreas inflammation or gallstones is important for your healthcare provider.
Your doctor can diagnose pancreas inflammation if you have abdominal pain, a high amount of lipase and amylase in the blood (enzymes made by the pancreas), and imaging findings suggestive of pancreatic inflammation.
Ultrasound: Ultrasound is painless sound waves to create a picture. Ultrasound can find gallstones.
CT scan of the abdomen: It gives a clear picture of your pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts. CT scans can show pancreas inflammation or pancreatic cancer.
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP): MRCP uses a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine to provide images of your organs and soft tissues without using X-rays. Your pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts may be examined using MRCP by your doctor or a specialist to look for causes of pancreas inflammation.
The goal of treatment is to rest the pancreas and let it settle down. You will need to be hospitalized and stay there for a few days.
Most people with chronic Pancreatitis have no symptoms. Patients can have chronic pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and oily stools. Your doctor will do clinical examinations, lab tests, and imaging to diagnose chronic Pancreatitis. Imaging studies like CT scans and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) might show calcifications, ductal dilations, and small and fibrosed pancreas.
Treatment for chronic Pancreatitis involves the management of chronic pain and manage complications.
Acute Pancreatitis usually gets better on its own. A few cases result in fluid collections around the pancreas called pancreatic pseudocyst that requires drainage. Most people recover without any problems.
Chronic pancreatitis may improve independently but take longer due to repeated attacks.
Patients with chronic pancreas inflammation are at a greater risk of long-term problems.
In Pancreas inflammation, the inflammation can disrupt the normal function of the pancreas, leading to malabsorption of nutrients from the food we eat. Malabsorption can occur because the digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are not being released properly, leading to poor absorption of nutrients such as fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. This can result in weight loss, nutrient deficiencies, and other complications.
If you have malabsorption, your doctor may prescribe enzyme supplements or the vitamins NA, D, E, and K. You could require vitamin B-12 because of malabsorption.
Tips for a low-fat diet
Pancreas inflammation is a severe medical condition that can cause a range of symptoms, some of which may be considered “red flags” that indicate the need for urgent medical attention.
