Pancreatitis – What You Should Know

What Is Pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas, an organ behind your stomach that helps with digestion and blood sugar control.

There are two types:

• Acute Pancreatitis – sudden, severe inflammation that lasts a few days
• Chronic Pancreatitis – long-standing inflammation that leads to permanent damage over time

Both conditions need medical attention and lifestyle changes to prevent complications.

⚠️ Acute Pancreatitis – Sudden & Serious

🚨 Symptoms:

• Sudden severe pain in the upper abdomen (may go to the back)
• Nausea, vomiting
• Fever
• Abdominal tenderness or swelling
• In severe cases: breathlessness, low blood pressure, confusion

🧬 Common Causes:

• Gallstones – the most common cause
• Heavy alcohol use
• High triglycerides or high calcium levels
• Medications or infections
• Sometimes, no cause is found (idiopathic)

Diagnosis:

• Blood tests (amylase, lipase)
• Ultrasound or CT scan
• Liver function tests (to check for gallstones)

🩹 Treatment:

• Hospital admission for rest and IV fluids
• Pain control
• Avoiding food by mouth initially, then slowly reintroducing a low-fat diet
• Treating the underlying cause (e.g., gallstone removal by ERCP)

Recovery:

• Most people recover in a few days to a week
• Severe cases may require ICU care or procedures to drain collections

🔁 Chronic Pancreatitis – Long-Term Damage

📆 What Happens Over Time:

Repeated inflammation scars the pancreas, affecting both digestion and insulin production (risk of diabetes).

🛑 Symptoms:

• Repeated or continuous abdominal pain
• Poor digestion, bloating
• Fatty stools (pale, greasy, foul-smelling)
• Weight loss
• Diabetes (due to loss of insulin-producing cells)

🍻 Common Causes:

• Long-term alcohol use
• Smoking
• Genetic disorders
• Autoimmune disease
• Long-standing blockage (like stones or stricture)

🧪 Diagnosis:

• Blood sugar testing (diabetes)
• Stool tests (fat malabsorption)
• CT scan or MRI
• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) or MRCP to see ductal changes
• Pancreatic function tests (in some cases)

💊 Treatment & Management

💪 Lifestyle & Diet:

• Stop alcohol and smoking completely
• Eat small, frequent low-fat meals
• Take pancreatic enzyme supplements to help digestion
• Maintain hydration

💉 Medical Treatment:

• Pain management medication or nerve blocks
• Insulin if diabetes develops
• Vitamin supplements if absorption is poor

🛠️ Procedures & Surgery:

• ERCP – to remove pancreatic stones or place stents
• Drainage of fluid collections
• Surgery in severe or unmanageable pain

✅ Good to Know

• Acute pancreatitis is reversible if treated early
• Chronic pancreatitis is not curable, but its complications can be managed
• Avoiding alcohol and fatty foods is crucial
• Regular follow-up helps prevent worsening or cancer risk