The pancreas is located in the center of the abdomen. It performs both exocrine, meaning it excretes into a duct, and endocrine functions. Its exocrine function involves secreting numerous digestive enzymes into the gastrointestinal tract. Its...
High-fat foods such as pistachios can provoke the onset of pancreatitis, a painful and very serious irritation of the pancreas that requires medical attention. Repeated bouts of pancreatitis can cause permanent damage and may lead to pancreatic...
Your pancreas is an organ in your abdomen involved in digestion. If you experience pain in your pancreas after eating, it could be a sign of some underlying disorder, such as gallstones or other problems with your pancreas. Pancreatic pain can...
The pancreas is a gland located in the abdomen behind the stomach. Its primary functions are to aid digestion by producing pancreatic enzymes to help break down food and insulin to stabilize blood sugar levels. These functions are adversely...
Food allergies are a widespread phenomenon not thoroughly understood. Food allergies can develop slowly or quickly, last for a short period of time or many years and lead to mild symptoms or be life threatening. Food allergies are highly variable...
The pancreas is instrumental organ involved in digesting foods. Specifically, the pancreas secretes enzymes that help breakdown fat and digest foods. In addition, the pancreas secretes insulin to help regulate blood glucose levels. The pancreas...
Your pancreas is an organ that produces enzymes that help your body digest food and insulin, which controls your blood sugar. When your pancreas is inflamed, a condition known as pancreatitis, your body cannot absorb all the necessary nutrients....
Pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen may have many causes. It may originate in the stomach, liver, gallbladder or pancreas. A problem with the heart or lung may be felt as abdominal pain. A musculoskeletal injury or condition could lead...
Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is considered chronic if the condition persists for an extended period of time such as years, according to MayoClinic.com. A normal pancreas produces enzymes that aid with digestion and hormones that...
The pancreas is a large gland located behind the stomach and next to the gallbladder. It functions to produce digestive enzymes and hormones, such as insulin and glucagon. These are delivered to the digestive system via the common bile duct, which...
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...
Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of the pancreas, a small organ that lies behind the stomach and aids in both digestion and endocrine functions. Pancreatitis presents acutely, as a short-term condition, or chronically, as a long-term condition....
The pancreas is involved with the production and secretion of many enzymes that help the digestive system break food down. Pancreatitis is the result of the pancreas becoming inflamed, which can lead to indigestion and abdominal pain. One way in...
Pancreatitis is a condition that caused by inflammation of the pancreas. A number of different causes of lead to pancreatitis, including alcohol abuse, certain infections and an abnormal reaction to certain medications. One of the main symptoms of...
Many organs, including the liver, gallbladder and intestines crowd into the upper right quadrant, and disease in nearby organs such as the stomach and pancreas can also cause pain that radiates to the upper right quadrant. Upper right quadrant...
The pancreas, which is located behind the stomach, produces pancreatic juices and hormones including insulin. The substances produced by this organ aid in digestion. When the pancreas is not functioning properly, various health problems can occur....
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas caused by a blockage during the digestive process. This includes the absorption of enzymes and food by the intestines and pancreas. Insulin production, as well as digestive enzymes, are needed on a...
According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, more than 5 percent of the population will have kidney stones. Men are more likely than women to acquire stones, particularly between the ages of 40 and 70. For...
Chronic pancreatitis is a medical term used to describe inflammation of the pancreas that becomes progressively worse over time. This condition develops when the naturally occurring enzymes within the digestive tract abnormally attack the pancreas...
Zetia, generic name ezetimibe, is currently a controversial medication used to treat high cholesterol. The FDA recently performed a study to determine if there is an increased cancer risk associated with another cholesterol medication Vytorin,...
Pancreatic cancer is a disease that occurs when cells of the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach, grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor and inhibiting normal pancreatic function. Because the pancreas produces digestive enzymes needed to...
The normal pancreas aids in digestion by secreting enzymes. It also secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar metabolism. Tumors, benign and malignant, can grow in the pancreas leading to cancer, or possibly cancer can spread to the pancreas...
Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for secreting important digestive enzymes, as well as insulin for blood glucose maintenance. During chronic pancreatitis, the normal functioning of the pancreas may...
Chronic pancreatitis is a condition characterized by progressive and long-term inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is part of the digestive tract and secretes hormones and enzymes necessary for normal digestion. Chronic pancreatitis can...
Developing pain in your upper abdomen may leave you concerned that you have a digestive condition. If you develop upper abdominal pain after using psyllium, talk with your doctor to determine the cause of the pain. Psyllium is a fiber supplement...
Caffeine is a stimulant found in liquids such as tea, coffee, soda and energy drinks. It is also found in chocolate, kola nuts and some drugs. It acts on the central nervous system, improving alertness and focus. The pancreas produces enzymes...
Diagnosing abdominal pain in women can be challenging for physicians. Doctors divide the abdomen into four quadrants: right upper quadrant, left upper quadrant, right lower quadrant and left lower quadrant. Knowing the location of the pain helps...
Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that causes nausea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain, which can be severe. The pancreas is a large, glandular organ located behind the stomach that produces insulin and powerful...
The digestive system consists of the hollow organs forming the digestive tract including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus, and the solid organs providing digestive juices including the liver, gallbladder...
Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition that occurs when pancreatic digestive enzymes become active within the gland and attack the pancreas itself. Learn about the different causes of, symptoms of, and treatments for pancreatitis in this...
