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Your pancreas is a hardworking organ. It makes enzymes that help you digest food. It also makes insulin to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Short-term (acute) pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of your pancreas. This can be very painful. You may have nausea, vomiting, and fever. If your acute pancreatitis doesn’t get better and slowly gets worse, you have chronic pancreatitis.
If you have chronic pancreatitis, the digestive enzymes that would normally travel by tubes inside your pancreas and empty into your upper intestine, become trapped inside your pancreas. This causes pain and scarring. The trapped enzymes slowly destroy your pancreas.
The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is drinking too much alcohol over many years. Other causes include:
Early symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are similar to acute pancreatitis. Symptoms are occasionl and include:
Chronic pancreatitis destroys your pancreas. This means that your body won't be able to make needed enzymes and hormones. This can result in malnutrition, because you won't be able to digest foods. Chronic pancreatitis can also cause diabetes. This happens because your pancreas can't make insulin. Insulin controls blood sugar.
Your healthcare provider will diagnose you with chronic pancreatitis if:
Your healthcare provider will examine your belly. You will also be asked about your drinking history and any family history of pancreatic disease or cystic fibrosis. Blood and imaging tests are an important part of your diagnosis. They can include:
Day-to-day treatment includes:
For acute pancreatitis or a flare-up, you may need to stay in the hospital for treatment. Your exact treatment will depend on the cause of your chronic pancreatitis, how severe the symptoms are, and your physical condition. Acute treatments may include:
Chronic pancreatitis damages the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This may cause these complications:
The best way to prevent chronic pancreatitis is to drink only in moderation or not at all. Moderate alcohol drinking is considered to be no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. Quitting smoking is also very helpful.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, your healthcare provider may suggest these lifestyle changes:
Call your healthcare provider when you start to have acute symptoms, including:
Day-to-day treatment includes pain medicine, pancreatic enzyme supplements with every meal, insulin if you develop diabetes, and vitamin supplements if needed.
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider: