Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreas is a soft elongated gland that is located at the back of the upper abdominal cavity right behind the stomach. The function of the pancreas is two fold. Firstly, it produces a series of enzymes that help with the digestion of the food particularly the proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Secondly, the pancreas produces a series of hormones, the most prominent one being insulin that help in maintaining the level of sugar in the blood.

Inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is defined as the condition which results in the severe inflammation of the pancreas and makes the patient unwell. Chronic pancreatitis develops as a result of repeated attacks of chronic pancreatitis. In some cases it can also be caused because of a serious injury to the pancreas.

Chronic Pancreatitis – Causes

The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is attributed to long term abuse of alcohol. Some of the other conditions that can lead to chronic pancreatitis are:

• High levels of calcium in the blood
• Cystic fibrosis
• A condition known as hypertriglyceridaemia that is a high level of blood fats in the body.
• Chronic pancreatitis may also be caused by use of some drugs.
• Chronic blockage of the pancreatic duct can also lead to pancreatitis
• There are also instances when no specific cause can be identified. In such cases, the chronic pancreatitis is known as idiopathic pancreatitis.

Chronic Pancreatitis – Symptoms

The symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are variable and differ greatly between individuals. The most common symptoms include:

• Pain in the abdomen. The pain is greatest in the upper abdomen and can last from several hours to several days. The pain also varies in nature and can become gnawing, aching or burning. Eventually the pain becomes continuous. The pain worsens by eating, drinking alcohol consumption and can radiate to the back.
• Nausea accompanied with vomiting is another common symptom.
• Unintentional weight loss is also associated with chronic pancreatitis.
• Chronic pancreatitis also causes fatty stools.

Chronic Pancreatitis – Diagnosis

Chronic pancreatitis often causes no symptoms. Also, the symptoms if any are usually similar to the symptoms caused by medical conditions like peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome and gallstones.

Some of the tests that are conducted to diagnose chronic pancreatitis are serum lipase, serum amylase, serum trypsinogen and fecal fat test. Inflammation or deposits of the pancreas can also be verified via an abdominal CT scan and an abdominal ultrasound. Finally, an exploratory laparotomy is done to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatitis.

Chronic Pancreatitis – Treatment

The main goal of treatment for chronic pancreatitis is to reduce the stimulation of the pancreas, prevent indigestion, reduce pain and treat diabetes if it is present. It is very vital to ensure that the patient does not consume alcohol in any form and any quantity. The usual treatment for chronic pancreatitis includes:

• Eating a low fat diet is very important including the reduction in the consumption of cooking oil.
• Another important aspect of treatment is to include adequate amount of fat soluble vitamins and calcium in the diet.
• Analgesics and pain relievers can be prescribed if the pain is very difficult to bear.
• Supplemental pancreatic enzymes are prescribed to correct the condition caused by the underproduction of the enzyme.
• For patients suffering from diabetes, insulin is prescribed to control the blood sugar levels.
• Surgery is recommended if a blockage is found. Also in severe cases, part or whole of the pancreas may be severed.

Pancreatitis is a very serious disease and one has to pay a lot of attention and care to ensure that this disease does not turn fatal. Determining the cause of acute pancreatitis is important to help prevent the possibility of chronic pancreatitis. The risk of fatality is reduced if the patient avoids alcohol completely. Some of the other complications that can arise due to chronic pancreatitis are obstruction of the bile duct or small intestine, diabetes, fat malabsorbtion and blood clots in the splenic vein. Regular checks up are an absolute necessity. Ensure that your doctor is a specialist in the field and always take a second opinion if you visiting the doctor for the first time.