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What are the warning signs of pancreatitis?

Chronic pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating. Losing weight without trying. ... Symptoms Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back. Tenderness when touching the abdomen. Fever. Rapid pulse. Nausea. Vomiting.

mayoclinic.org - Pancreatitis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

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Overview

Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Open pop-up dialog box Close Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Gallstones are a common cause of pancreatitis. Gallstones, produced in the gallbladder, can slip out of the gallbladder and block the bile duct, stopping pancreatic enzymes from traveling to the small intestine and forcing them back into the pancreas. The enzymes then begin to irritate the cells of the pancreas, causing the inflammation associated with pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digestion and hormones that help regulate the way your body processes sugar (glucose). Pancreatitis can occur as acute pancreatitis — meaning it appears suddenly and lasts for days. Some people develop chronic pancreatitis, which is pancreatitis that occurs over many years. Mild cases of pancreatitis improve with treatment, but severe cases can cause life-threatening complications.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis may vary, depending on which type you experience.

Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:

Upper abdominal pain

Abdominal pain that radiates to your back

Tenderness when touching the abdomen

Fever

Rapid pulse

Nausea

Vomiting

Chronic pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:

Upper abdominal pain

Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating

Losing weight without trying

Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhea)

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have acute onset or persistent abdominal pain. Seek immediate medical help if your abdominal pain is so severe that you can't sit still or find a position that makes you more comfortable. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news. You can unsubscribe at any time. Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry

Causes

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Pancreatitis occurs when digestive enzymes become activated while still in the pancreas, irritating the cells of your pancreas and causing inflammation. With repeated bouts of acute pancreatitis, damage to the pancreas can occur and lead to chronic pancreatitis. Scar tissue may form in the pancreas, causing loss of function. A poorly functioning pancreas can cause digestion problems and diabetes.

Conditions that can lead to acute pancreatitis include:

Gallstones

Alcoholism

Certain medications

High triglyceride levels in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia)

High calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia), which may be caused by an overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism)

Pancreatic cancer

Abdominal surgery

Cystic fibrosis

Infection

Injury to the abdomen

Obesity

Trauma

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure used to treat gallstones, also can lead to pancreatitis. Sometimes, a cause for pancreatitis is never found. This is known as idiopathic pancreatitis.

Risk factors

Factors that increase your risk of pancreatitis include:

Excessive alcohol consumption. Research shows that heavy alcohol users (people who consume four to five drinks a day) are at increased risk of pancreatitis. Research shows that heavy alcohol users (people who consume four to five drinks a day) are at increased risk of pancreatitis. Cigarette smoking. Smokers are on average three times more likely to develop chronic pancreatitis, compared with nonsmokers. The good news is quitting smoking decreases your risk by about half. Smokers are on average three times more likely to develop chronic pancreatitis, compared with nonsmokers. The good news is quitting smoking decreases your risk by about half. Obesity. You're more likely to get pancreatitis if you're obese. You're more likely to get pancreatitis if you're obese. Diabetes. Having diabetes increases your risk of pancreatitis. Having diabetes increases your risk of pancreatitis. Family history of pancreatitis. The role of genetics is becoming increasingly recognized in chronic pancreatitis. If you have family members with the condition, your odds increase — especially when combined with other risk factors.

Complications

Pancreatitis can cause serious complications, including:

mayoclinic.org - Pancreatitis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

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