Pancreatitis Health Center

Acute pancreatitis usually starts with gradual or sudden pain in the upper abdomen that also may extend through the back. This pain may be mild at first, but it is often severe and may become more constant and last several days. The pain may also become worse after eating. People with this condition usually look and feel very ill and require immediate medical attention. 

Other symptoms of acute pancreatitis may include the following:

• swollen or tender abdomen
• nausea and vomiting
• fever
• rapid pulse

If left untreated, severe acute pancreatitis may lead to dehydration and low blood pressure, as well as heart, lung and kidney failure. If there is bleeding in the pancreas, shock and even death may occur. If you experience any of these symptoms in combination or alone, seek medical help immediately.

Chronic pancreatitis may bring upper abdominal pain, although some people have no pain at all. This pain may also spread to the back and feel worse after eating or drinking. It may become constant and disabling to the individual. In some cases of chronic pancreatitis, this abdominal pain goes away while the condition worsens internally, most likely because the pancreas is no longer making digestive enzymes.

Other symptoms of chronic pancreatitis may include the following:

• nausea
• vomiting
• weight loss
• diarrhea
• oily stools

Weight loss is common in people with pancreatitis, even if their appetite and eating habits have stayed the same. Patients with chronic pancreatitis may lose weight because the body is not secreting enough pancreatic enzymes to digest food properly. As a result, nutrients do not get absorbed normally. Poor digestion can lead to malnutrition due to excretion of fat in the stool.