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Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is the organ which produces digestive chemicals to help digest food, and hormones to help the body use sugar for energy. Pancreatitis occurs when the digestive chemicals produced in the pancreas attack the pancreas itself, usually causing abdominal pain.

In up to one third of all cases of pancreatitis, the cause is not identified. In the other two thirds, the cause is usually alcohol consumption, but can also be:

• gallstones
• abdominal injury
• a viral infection like mumps
• too much fat in the blood
• hereditary factors
• certain dietary problems

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Pancreatitis may be acute, involving one severe attack, or chronic, if the symptoms recur more than once. With proper treatment, a person can fully recover from an acute attack of pancreatitis, and symptoms usually go away within 48 hours. An acute pancreatitis attack usually only happens once if steps are taken the avoid the identified causes of the attack in the future. Acute pancreatitis rarely develops into chronic pancreatitis.

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Chronic pancreatitis causes permanent damage to the pancreas. It usually results in the body's inability to absorb nutrients and can cause high blood sugar levels. Pain from each attack lasts from a few hours up to several days, and attacks become more frequent the longer the condition lasts. Sometimes the pain can become severe and ongoing.

Chronic pancreatitis is marked by:

• weight loss, even when eating normal amounts
• loose and foul-smelling bowel movements

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Future attacks of pancreatitis can be minimized by:

• not drinking alcohol
• following the restricted diet prescribed by your doctor
• taking dietary supplements to replace missing amino acids
• taking prescribed medications
• if high blood sugar develops, controlling it with medication, diet, and exercise

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Reprinted with Permission - Copyright © 2000 Access Health Group, McKesson HBOC, Inc.