Symptoms of an Enlarged Pancreas Pain in the upper abdomen is a common symptom. Pain may spread to the back and feel worse when you're eating and drinking, such as in cases of pancreatitis. See a doctor right away if you have these symptoms. Other causes of an enlarged pancreas may produce few or no symptoms at all.
The main symptom of acute pancreatitis is a severe, dull pain around the top of your stomach that develops suddenly. This aching pain often gets steadily worse and can travel along your back or below your left shoulder blade. Eating or drinking may also make you feel worse very quickly, especially fatty foods.
Pancreatitis is inflammation in your pancreas. Inflammation causes swelling and pain. If you have pancreatitis, it might feel like stomach pain that spreads to your back.
Both acute and chronic pancreatitis can cause your pancreas to produce fewer of the enzymes that are needed to break down and process nutrients from the food you eat. This can lead to malnutrition, diarrhea and weight loss, even though you may be eating the same foods or the same amount of food.
There is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, but the related pain and symptoms may be managed or even prevented. Since chronic pancreatitis is most often caused by drinking, abstinence from alcohol is often one way to ease the pain.
Mild acute pancreatitis usually goes away in a few days with rest and treatment. If your pancreatitis is more severe, your treatment may also include: Surgery. Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder, called cholecystectomy, if gallstones cause your pancreatitis.
People with acute pancreatitis often look ill and have a fever, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Other symptoms that may occur with this disease include: Clay-colored stools. Bloating and fullness.
Steroid medicine. Steroid medicine is recommended for people with chronic pancreatitis caused by problems with the immune system because it helps to relieve the inflammation of the pancreas.
Gas Is a Very Common Symptom of Pancreatitis
But flatulence that's accompanied by swelling in the abdomen, fever, nausea, and vomiting is not. These symptoms can be warning signs of pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas, which assists in the digestive process. Gas is a very common symptom of pancreatitis.
The exocrine pancreas is composed of acinar cells that synthesize and secrete digestive enzymes, ductal cells that funnel the enzymes into the small intestine, and central acinar cells. The exocrine pancreas can regenerate spontaneously and robustly in both animals and humans.
There are no medications to make the pancreas normal again. However, with adequate medical management, it may be possible to limit the damage from chronic pancreatitis, reduce the rate of decline of pancreatic function, and prevent complications.
Drink or eat nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, or other milk products each day. Read the labels on cheeses, and choose those with less than 5 grams of fat an ounce. Try fat-free sour cream, cream cheese, or yogurt. Avoid cream soups and cream sauces on pasta.
Diabetes. Diabetes occurs when sugars build up in the blood due to the pancreas not producing enough insulin (or not using it correctly) resulting in low energy levels.
Lipase is the preferred laboratory test for diagnosing acute pancreatitis, as it is the most sensitive and specific marker for pancreatic cell damage. Additional laboratory testing, such as complete blood count (CBC) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tests, are useful to obtain prognostic information.
The best food choices for those suffering from chronic pancreatitis are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nonfat/low fat dairy, and lean cuts of meat. Healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, may be consumed with careful portion control.
Fruits like apples and red grapes are ideal for pancreas health. The resveratrol in these fruits helps fight inflammation and cancer in your pancreas. Fruits like apples and red grapes are ideal for pancreas health. The resveratrol in these fruits helps fight inflammation and cancer in your pancreas.
Eating a healthy diet and limiting your exposure to harmful substances, like tobacco and alcohol, can help keep your pancreas and your entire digestive system working properly.
A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, D, the B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1 to 2 capsules or 1 to 2 tbsp. of oil daily, to help reduce inflammation and improve immunity.
Therefore, in the treatment of acute pancreatitis, patients should fast during the first period of therapy so that the pancreas has time to rest and recover from damage. When treating acute pancreatitis in patients with indications for complete fasting, nutrition can be provided through an intravenous line.
Fasting triggers a particular mechanism that helps beta cells in the pancreas manage glucose, according to discovery scientists at Mayo Clinic. The paper, published in Science Advances, reports that this molecular mechanism explains why intermittent fasting supports normalized glucose concentrations.
Most people with acute pancreatitis get better within a week and are well enough to leave hospital after a few days. Recovery can take longer in severe cases, as some people can develop complications. Read more about treating acute pancreatitis and the possible complications of acute pancreatitis.