Pancreas is a fish shaped gland which lies behind the stomach and adjacent to gall bladder. It is an important organ in our digestive system as well as in our endocrine system. Pancreas produces digestive enzymes for digestion of food and hormone insulin.
Causes Of Pancreatic Pain
- Pancreas pain commonly occurs due to alcohol abuse, inflammation of pancreas known as pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, abdominal injury, mumps, pregnancy, uremia, or recent renal transplant or gall bladder stone, abdominal surgery complication, viral hepatitis etc.
Pancreas Pain Symptoms
Pancreas pain symptoms in acute pancreatitis and its location:
Clinical picture of pain varies depending upon the severity of the disease.
The pain in acute pancreatitis is classically located in upper middle abdomen (epigastrium); it may be below the right ribs in some cases. The pain is severe and persistent and radiates right to the back. The pain is worse in sleeping position and partially relieved by sitting and stooping forward.
Symptoms Of Pancreatic Cancer Pain
- Pancreas pain is often accompanied by vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, and fever, sweating out of proportion, rapid pulse, hypotension and shock.
- Pancreas cancer pain is deep seated pain in the upper mid abdomen, it is continuous and persistent pain, and it is drilling pain which radiates to the back.
Treatment For Acute Pancreatitis
The treatment will depend on the predisposing factors causing pancreas pain. If the pain is caused due to gall stone than the stone needs to be removed, if it s caused due to alcohol consumption you have to avoid alcohol.
Relaxation and meditation techniques help to an extent.
In acute pancreatitis you may have to be hospitalized to get relief form pain and other symptoms. It is treated as an emergency. You may be kept nil by mouth for one to two days to recover pancreas from inflammation. Intravenous fluid administration and pain reliever medications will be prescribed by the treating doctor.