Chronic Pancreatitis
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.
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View MoreCauses
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.
