Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic Pancreatitis

Description Symptoms Causes Diagnostics Treatment

Description

Chronic pancreatitis is a long-term inflammation of the pancreas leading to permanent damage. It can affect any age and it is more prevalent in men. Patients with chronic pancreatitis may show no symptoms for long periods of time. At other times, they may also have severe abdominal pain requiring hospitalization.

Symptoms

The main symptom of chronic pancreatitis is severe abdominal pain; the pain usually develops in the middle or left side of your abdomen and can move along your back. Other symptoms may include :

       Vomiting
       Weight loss
       Fatty stool
       Chronic diarrhea
       Back pain
       Loss of appetite
       Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
      Symptoms of diabetes– such as feeling very thirsty, needing to pee more often than usual, and feeling very tired.
Visit a General Practice doctor (General Practitioner) if you have severe abdominal pain or yellowing of your skin or eyes, you might be referred to a Gastroenterology doctor (Gastroenterologist) for proper diagnosis and treatment. 

Causes

The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is drinking excessive amounts of alcohol over many years which may lead to repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis which results in increasing pancreas damage. There are other reasons but they are less common, like :

       Smoking
       The immune system attacking the pancreas
       Genetic disorder that stops the pancreas from working properly
       Injury to the pancreas
       Gallstones blocking the openings (ducts) of the pancreas
      Radiotherapy of the abdomen

Diagnostics

Adding to the case history and symptoms, your doctor may require the following tests :

       Laboratory tests: blood, urine, and stool tests, looking for abnormalities or unusual levels of certain enzymes.
       X-ray
       Ultrasound scan
       CT scan
       An endoscopic ultrasound scan: where a long, thin tube containing a camera is passed through your mouth and down into your stomach to take pictures of the pancreas.
      Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP): a type of MRI scan that takes a detailed image of the pancreas.

Treatment

The damage due to the long-term inflammation of the pancreas is permanent, but treatment can help control the condition and manage the symptoms.

People with chronic pancreatitis are usually advised to make lifestyle changes, such as stopping drinking alcohol and smoking. They are also given medicine to relieve pain.

Surgery may be considered for severe pain relief.

Everything You Need To Know Regarding Your Health!

Get the answers you need, all in one place. Explore expert-written blogs, browse our extensive FAQs for quick answers to common concerns, or use our Symptom Checker for preliminary insights.
Need in-depth details? Our Disease Directory provides comprehensive information to help you understand conditions better.
Whatever you're looking for, we’re here to support your health journey, seamlessly and effortlessly.

Check Our Medical Library! →

100+ Expert

Reviewed Blogs & Medical Guidelines

80+ Symptoms

and Diseases Explained