Chronic pancreatitis is an ongoing or repeated inflammation of the pancreas.
The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach. It produces digestive enzymes and insulin. The digestive enzymes flow into the small intestine to help break down food. Insulin is released into the blood to control the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis occurs as 1 sudden episode. After you have had acute pancreatitis, the pancreas usually returns to its normal condition. Chronic pancreatitis means ongoing or repeated bouts of pancreatitis that damage the pancreas. The damaged pancreas gradually becomes unable to make normal digestive enzymes and insulin. It causes frequent attacks of severe pain and can cause life-threatening complications.
Chronic pancreatitis may result from:
In rare cases pancreatitis is inherited.
The main symptom of chronic pancreatitis is severe pain in the stomach area that extends to the back. The pain is usually a constant, dull pain that gets worse when you eat or drink. You may notice that it’s worse when you drink alcohol. The pain may lessen when you sit up and lean forward.
As the disease gets worse, attacks of pain last longer and happen more often. Attacks may last a few hours or as long as several weeks.
Other symptoms of chronic pancreatitis include:
As the pancreas gets more damaged, it makes fewer digestive enzymes for the intestines. As a result, your body has trouble digesting food and absorbing the nutrients in the food. Bowel movements get more frequent and smell worse.
If the pancreas is unable to produce the hormone insulin, diabetes may develop, causing these symptoms:
Your healthcare provider will ask about your medical history, particularly about how much alcohol you drink and whether you have had gallstones. Your provider will ask about your symptoms and examine you.
You may have the following tests:
ERCP is a way of looking at your pancreas through a slim flexible tube called an endoscope. The scope is passed through your mouth and stomach to see the area where your pancreas and intestines are connected. MRCP uses an MRI machine to look at the pancreas and gallbladder areas without using an endoscope.
The goals of treatment are to:
You will need:
If your pancreatitis is severe, you may not be allowed to eat or drink for a few days. In this case you will stay in the hospital so you can be given fluids through your veins (IV).
You may need insulin to control your blood sugar if the pancreas is not producing enough insulin. If the intestine is not getting enough digestive enzymes from the pancreas, you may also need to take enzyme pills to help you digest food.
In some cases your healthcare provider may recommend surgery to help relieve pain or to help the pancreas work better.
If you have alcoholic pancreatitis, no treatment will prevent further pancreatitis or severe abdominal pain if you keep drinking alcohol.
As with any chronic disease, the effects may last for months or years. Your chances for improvement are good if you follow your provider’s treatment plan.
If your pancreatitis is caused by gallbladder disease, treating this problem will make future attacks of pancreatitis less likely. Gallbladder surgery may need to be delayed until the pancreas has recovered from the most recent attack.
If your pancreatitis is caused by high blood fats (triglycerides), treatment will decrease the likelihood of repeat episodes of pancreatitis.
Chronic pancreatitis is a serious disease that can cause long-term poor health, disability, and death. It’s important to follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for treatment and checkups.
If you drink heavily, get help to stop. Talk to your healthcare provider about referral to an alcohol treatment center or a group like Alcoholics Anonymous.
