1. Recognize Symptoms of Acute Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis, a condition causing inflammation of the pancreas, can come on suddenly and without warning. Your stomach may become swollen and tender. It is common to experience nausea and vomiting. It is also likely that you will run a fever, a sign that your body is trying to heal itself. One of the more specific symptoms of pancreatitis is pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to the back. This pain is often severe and can be made worse by eating, especially fatty foods. Patients with acute pancreatitis generally look unwell and are suffering from more than just a sore abdomen.
Pancreatitis can be caused by a variety of factors, including gallstones. If gallstones are the problem, you might also experience symptoms related to them. Gallbladder pain is usually felt in the upper-right quadrant of the abdomen, with pain sometimes radiating to the back, especially between the shoulder blades.
2. Identifying Chronic Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis can also be a chronic condition. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of acute pancreatitis. There are also additional symptoms that are caused by the chronic malfunction of the pancreas. Weight loss, for example, is one possible sign that you have a pancreatic disorder. The pancreas is required to produce enzymes for proper digestion. Insufficient enzymes can lead to malabsorption, and it is common to experience weight loss as a symptom of chronic pancreatitis.
Another possible symptom is diabetes ehich can result when the insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas are damaged. It generally takes some time for the cells to be affected. Symptoms of diabetes suggest that you are probably already in the advanced stages of chronic pancreatitis.
3. Understanding Symptoms of Diabetes
One cause of diabetes mellitus is insufficient insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. In some people these insulin-producing cells die off for no apparent reason. In other cases, the pancreas produces sufficient quantities of insulin but the body seems unable to actually use the insulin. In both cases, the body is not able to process glucose properly. This is what causes diabetes.
One of the first signs of diabetes is typically increased thirst. This is often accompanied by frequent urination. Other symptoms you might experience include mood changes, weight loss, fatigue, increased appetite and abdominal pain.
4. Other Symptoms of Pancreatic Problems
There are other conditions of the pancreas that may be causing your symptoms. Pancreatic cysts cause some of the same symptoms as pancreatitis, including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. In addition, you might be able to feel a mass in your upper abdomen which suggests cysts of the pancreas. Also, while weight loss can be caused by chronic pancreatitis, it can also be a sign of pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. This is particularly true when you are suffering from diarrhea as well.
Dull pain in the upper abdomen accompanied by jaundice suggests pancreatic cancer, which can also cause decreased appetite, weight loss and depression.
