Overview
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is when the pancreas becomes inflamed. It occurs suddenly and causes pain in the upper abdominal area. The pain can also occur in your back.
It can also develop into chronic pancreatitis if it happens regularly.
Key Facts
- Acute pancreatitis can be caused by direct and indirect health issues.
- Direct causes relate to issues specifically with your pancreas and its associated elements, whereas indirect causes are the result of health issues with other parts of your body
- Acute pancreatitis can sometimes cause pseudocysts in the pancreas. These fluid-filled sacks can lead to other infections and even potentially, internal bleeding.
- Acute pancreatitis can also disrupt the chemistry balance of your body. This can lead to further health complications.
- Sometimes, acute pancreatitis can be the first sign of pancreatic cancer.
Symptoms
The main and most obvious sign of acute pancreatitis is a severe pain that develops suddenly in the upper part of your tummy. This aching pain can get worse and travel to your back. In addition, you might experience some of these:
- feeling or being sick
- diarrhoea
- indigestion
- tenderness or swelling of the tummy
- a fever with a temperature of 38C or more
- fast heartbeat
Eating or drinking can make the symptoms feel worse especially when eating fatty foods. Also lying flat on your back can make the pain worse.
Diagnosis
The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach and near the small intestine. It makes and distributes insulin, digestive enzymes, and other necessary hormones for the whole body.
Your doctor will start by asking for your medical history and getting any understanding of your discomfort. This is likely to be followed by a blood test, which is testing for enzymes leaking from your pancreas. Your doctor may also order an CT, MRI or utrasound scan to explore any potential abnormalities to do with your pancreas.
Causes
There are both direct and indirect causes of acute pancreatitis. Direct causes are those health conditions that directly affect the pancreas itself, its tissues, or its ducts. Whereas, indirect causes are the result of diseases or conditions elsewhere in the body.
Gallstones are one of the main causes of acute pancreatitis. Gallstones lodge in the common bile duct and block the pancreatic duct. This results in stopping fluid from flowing to and from the pancreas and causes damage.
Other direct causes of acute pancreatitis include:
- sudden immune system attacks on the pancreas, or autoimmune pancreatitis
- pancreatic or gallbladder damage from surgery or injury
- excessive fats called triglycerides in your blood
Indirect causes of acute pancreatitis can include:
- alcohol abuse
- cystic fibrosis
- kawasaki disease, a disease that occurs in children younger than 5 years old
- viral infections like mumps
- bacterial infections like mycoplasma
- certain medications containing estrogen, corticosteroids, or certain antibiotics
Typical Treatments
Treatment will depend on the doctor’s diagnosis of what’s caused it. It is possible that you will be admitted to the hospital for further testing and to make sure you get enough fluids, usually intravenously.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the pain and treat any possible infections. If these treatments do not work, it is possible that you will undergo surgery to remove damaged tissue, drain fluid, or correct blocked ducts.
If you do have surgery, you may experience pain. If the doctor prescribes pain medication, be sure to follow the instructions to reduce any discomfort once you are home. You need to keep drinking lots of fluids to make sure you are hydrated. If pain is still unbearable, it is important to speak with your doctor again for a follow-up consultation.
Conclusion
Pancreatitis can cause serious short-term pain but most cases can be treated. However, untreated cases and recurrences can lead to chronic problems.
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