Pancreatic pain after eating requires emergency medical attention immediately. Pancreatic pain is a sign that your pancreas is inflamed and infected, which can lead to complications. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that it's common for most pancreatic pain to develop shortly after you eat. Pancreatic pain typically remains constant and does not subside once it begins. Your doctor will provide you with a clinical diagnosis.
Cause
The pain that develops in your pancreas is the result of pancreatitis, inflammation in your pancreas. Your pancreas is an organ that provides digestive enzymes that help break down foods so that your body can absorb the nutrients, sugars and proteins in the food you eat. In a healthy pancreas, enzymes are activated and move through ducts that connect to the small intestines. Pancreatic pain occurs when activated enzymes fail to move through the ducts and irritate the cells in the pancreas, leading to inflammation, according to MayoClinic.com. Pancreatitis may be the result of smoking cigarettes, alcoholism and gallstones.
Symptoms
Acute pancreatitis is an isolated event where your pancreas becomes inflamed, whereas chronic pancreatitis is a long-term condition where your pancreas becomes inflamed often. Acute cases of pancreatitis can cause symptoms to develop and subside. Acute pancreatitis symptoms include vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, back pain, pain from eating, upper abdominal pain and tenderness in your abdomen. Chronic pancreatitis symptoms include weight loss, upper abdominal pain, indigestion and smelly, oily stools. If the pain continues or is severe, where you cannot stand or sit without discomfort, call your doctor.
Treatment
If you're diagnosed with any form of pancreatitis, whether acute or chronic, you will require a few days in the hospital. The first implemented treatment is fasting in order to give your pancreas time to recover, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Once your doctor confirms that the inflammation has subsided, you will be able to begin consuming bland foods and slowly reintroducing different foods. Your doctor will typically prescribe pain medications to help control your level of pain. You may require intravenous fluids while in the hospital to prevent dehydration.
Prevention
After being hospitalized, you need to implement certain lifestyle and dietary changes to prevent another attack. If you drink alcohol or smoke, you need to stop. Your doctor can prescribe various programs and medications to help you break these addictions. Eating a diet that's high in whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables and low in fat can help prevent further episodes of pancreatic pain, according to MayoClinic.com. Increasing the amount of water you drink can help ensure that you don't become dehydrated.
