Your pancreas helps you digest meals by releasing powerful digestive enzymes into your small intestine. When digestive enzymes are triggered while remaining in the pancreas, they irritate the pancreatic cells and cause inflammation. This causes pancreatitis.
What does a pancreatic attack feel like?
Depending on the type of pancreatitis you have, the signs and symptoms will differ.
A pancreatic attack could occur in two forms: - Acute Pancreatitis: It’s a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that does not last for a long time. This can range from mild discomfort to a severe, fatal condition. However, people can usually recover completely from acute pancreatitis after getting the right treatment. The effects of severe cases of acute pancreatitis include bleeding, tissue damage, infection, cysts, and damage to vital organs.
- Chronic Pancreatitis: It’s a long-term inflammation that usually occurs after an acute pancreatitis episode or because of drinking large amounts of alcohol for a long time. Overconsumption of alcohol might not show any immediate signs of damage to your pancreas. However, severe pancreatitis symptoms might manifest suddenly after prolonged overconsumption.
The following are signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis: - Upper abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain that at times gradually radiates to your back
- Pain in the abdomen that gets worse after eating
- Fever
- Rapid pulse
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Tenderness in the abdomen when touched
Chronic pancreatitis symptoms include the following: - Pain in the upper abdomen
- Weight loss without effort
- Stools that are oily and have a foul smell (steatorrhea)
What causes pancreatitis attack?
Damage to the pancreas can occur due to repeated attacks of acute pancreatitis, leading to
chronic pancreatitis. The following are some of the conditions that might cause pancreatitis:
- Gallstones
- Abdominal surgery
- Alcoholism
- Certain drugs
- Cystic fibrosis
- Hypercalcemia (high calcium levels in the blood) can be caused by an overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism)
- Heightened levels of triglyceride in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia)
- Infection
- Abdominal injury
- Obesity
- Pancreatic cancer.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a method that treats gallstones, can also often lead to pancreatitis. Sometimes, the exact cause of a pancreatitis attack is never found.Also read:
What Causes Urinary Tract Infections and How Can You Prevent Them?How to prevent pancreatitis attacks in future
Reduce the risk factors as much as possible in the following ways:
- Gallstones: If you have gallstones and have had a pancreatitis attack, removing your gallbladder can help you avoid future issues.
- Heavy drinking: Causes up to 70% of chronic pancreatitis instances and nearly half of acute pancreatitis cases. Therefore it's a wise idea to limit your alcohol consumption.
- Smoking: Can worsen your outcomes, hasten the progression of the condition (chronic pancreatitis), and raise your chance of pancreatic cancer.
- Poor diet: High-fat foods, particularly fried foods, should be avoided since they can strain your digestive system. Instead, concentrate on a low-fat, high-protein, vitamin- and nutrient-rich diet. Adding medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil to the diet of patients with chronic pancreatitis is often beneficial. Artificial digestive enzymes, which assist your body break down food and absorb nutrients and vitamins, are another option. However, consult your doctor to know if taking artificial digestive enzymes would suit you.
Also read:
What Are the Major Signs of Inflammation in Your Body?When should you see a doctor?
If you experience recurrent abdominal pain, seek the guidance of a medical professional. If your abdomen discomfort is so severe that you can't sit still or find a comfortable posture, please seek help at your nearest emergency room.At
MI Express Primary Care, Canton, MI, our experienced medical team can help you determine the cause of the chronic attacks. If you are facing chronic issues,
request an appointment today!
