As part of the digestive system, the pancreas makes enzymes that help break down and absorb food. Pancreatitis is a disease of this organ. This situation is usually short-term, but it can turn into a chronic disease.

What is pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a retroperitoneal organ situated posterior to the stomach and next to the duodenum. This organ has two primary functions: firstly, it synthesizes digestive enzymes and transports them to the intestines for the purpose of food digestion, and secondly, it produces the hormone insulin and releases it into the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar levels.

Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas that can be short-term or long-term. If you only have acute pancreatitis for a short time, your pancreas can work normally again. But severe pancreatitis that happens over and over again can lead to chronic pancreatitis. People who have chronic pancreatitis run the risk of damaging this organ, which would then stop making insulin and stomach enzymes.

Read more: Pancreas Cancer And Symptoms To Watch Out For

Causes of pancreatitis

The most common causes of pancreatitis include:

Gallstones

Gallstones, made of accumulated fat, can develop in the gallbladder. The accumulation of gallstones in the bile duct can prevent the secretion of digestive enzymes. Damage to the pancreas and inflammation can result from pancreatic enzymes that are unable to exit the pancreatic duct.

Alcohol consumption

Although the specific origin of pancreatitis is yet unknown, heavy alcohol consumption is a prevalent symptom. Alcohol is known to contain harmful chemicals that, according to scientists, trigger an inflammatory reaction in the pancreas.

The following are additional, less prevalent, causes of pancreatitis:

• Viral infection
• Autoimmune disease
• Complications of cystic fibrosis
• High levels of calcium
• High levels of triglycerides 
• Reduced blood supply
• Cancer
• Traumatic injury to the pancreas
• Certain medications that irritate the pancreas
• Smoking

Pancreatitis symptoms

The symptoms of pancreatitis may vary from person to person. Symptoms that may manifest include:

• Severe stomach pain that extends to the back or chest, especially after eating 
• Nauseous
• Vomit
• Rapid pulse rate
• Swelling and pain or tenderness in the upper abdomen
• Fever
• Stomach fluid accumulation
• Low blood pressure
• Jaundice

Read more: Three Main Causes Of Empedu Stone Disease

Pancreatitis treatment

Hospitalization is typically necessary for individuals with acute pancreatitis. There are several treatments for pancreatitis, including:

• Giving analgesics
• Intravenous fluid administration
• Giving antibiotics to treat pancreatic infections
• A low-fat diet or fasting

If the cause of your pancreatitis is gallstones, your doctor might suggest you go for gallstone removal. This procedure can be performed using either endoscopy or surgery. If the severity of the problem is significant, the doctor may advise the removal of the gallbladder.

In order to prevent the progression of chronic pancreatitis, doctors might suggest lifestyle modifications. In the event that pancreatic damage is sufficiently severe, physicians may prescribe insulin injections and enzyme supplements to supplant pancreatic function.

The doctor may suggest surgery to remove a portion of the pancreas if the pancreas is experiencing severe inflammation. The doctor may suggest the removal of the entire pancreas to prevent the infection from spreading further if the pancreatic damage is severe enough.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas organ. Typically, this condition is the result of gallstones, excessive alcohol consumption, or other factors. The initial symptoms of pancreatitis may be similar to those of other diseases. If you are experiencing symptoms of pancreatitis, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

Looking for more information about other diseases? Click here!