Acute pancreatitis is sudden swelling and inflammation of the pancreas. Show The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach. It produces the hormones insulin and glucagon. It also produces chemicals called enzymes needed to digest food. Most of the time, the enzymes are active only after they reach the small intestine.
Acute pancreatitis affects men more often than women. Certain diseases, surgeries, and habits make you more likely to develop this condition.
Other conditions that have been linked to pancreatitis are:
Other causes include:
The main symptom of pancreatitis is pain felt in the upper left side or middle of the abdomen. The pain:
People with acute pancreatitis often look ill and have a fever, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Other symptoms that may occur with this disease include:
Treatment often requires a stay in the hospital. It may involve:
A tube may be inserted through the nose or mouth to remove the contents of the stomach. This may be done if vomiting and severe pain do not improve. The tube will stay in for 1 to 2 days to 1 to 2 weeks. Treating the condition that caused the problem can prevent repeated attacks. In some cases, therapy is needed to:
In the most severe cases, surgery is needed to remove damaged, dead or infected pancreatic tissue. Avoid smoking, alcoholic drinks, and fatty foods after the attack has improved. Most cases go away in a week or less. However, some cases develop into a life-threatening illness. The death rate is high when:
Sometimes the swelling and infection do not fully heal. Repeat episodes of pancreatitis may also occur. Either of these can lead to long-term damage of the pancreas. Contact your provider if:
You may lower your risk of new or repeat episodes of pancreatitis by taking steps to prevent the medical conditions that can lead to the disease:
Gallstone pancreatitis; Pancreas - inflammation Crockett SD, Wani S, Gardner TB, Falck-Ytter Y, Barkun AN. American Gastroenterological Association Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee. American Gastroenterological Association Institute Guideline on initial management of acute pancreatitis. Gastroenterology. 2018;154(4):1096-1101. PMID: 29409760 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29409760/. Forsmark CE. Pancreatitis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 135. Paskar DD, Marshall JC. Acute pancreatitis. In: Parrillo JE, Dellinger RP, eds. Critical Care Medicine: Principles of Diagnosis and Management in the Adult. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 73. Vege SS. Acute pancreatitis. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 58. Updated by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Why do I have a sharp pain in my upper stomach?Pancreatitis. Abdominal pain caused by pancreatitis, which is inflammation in the pancreas, is a severe and sharp pain occurring in the upper middle of the abdomen that can sometimes radiate to your back or chest. You may also experience other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and fever.
When should I worry about upper abdominal pain?Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for severe upper abdominal pain that comes on suddenly, especially if it is accompanied by: an inability to have bowel movements. bloody stool, vomiting blood, or abdominal rigidity, which refers to an abdomen that is very firm or hard. breathing difficulties.
How do you fix upper stomach pain after eating?Some remedies may also benefit stomach upset from other sources, such as irritable bowel syndrome.. Drinking water. ... . Avoiding lying down. ... . Ginger. ... . BRAT diet. ... . Avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol. ... . Avoiding difficult-to-digest foods. ... . Lime or lemon juice, baking soda, and water. ... . Can food cause upper abdominal pain?Most people can even pinpoint which foods trigger their symptoms the most. For example, it's common to experience symptoms after eating spicy food or food that's high in fat content. Indigestion (also known as dyspepsia) is also a common characteristic. Indigestion is persistent discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen.
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