Chronic pancreatitis isinflammation of the pancreas that causes permanent damage and cessation of pancreatic function. This disease is often characterized by severe abdominal pain that occurs repeatedly. Abdominal pain can also feel like burning in the middle or left of the abdomen that can radiate to the back.
The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach and functions to produce enzymes to digest food. The pancreas also produces insulin to help regulate blood sugar levels.
Permanent damage to this organ from chronic pancreatitis can impair its function to produce and transport digestive enzymes and insulin. This then makes it difficult for the body to digest food and control blood sugar levels.
Chronic pancreatitis is different from acute pancreatitis. Inflammation in acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and lasts only briefly, whereas inflammation in chronic pancreatitis lasts for years.
Symptoms of Chronic Pancreatitis
The main symptom of chronic pancreatitis is severe, recurrent upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that feels like burning or stabbing appears in the middle or left of the abdomen that radiates to the back, and can come and go for a few hours to several days.
Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis can appear without being triggered by anything. In people with chronic pancreatitis who have a habit of drinking alcohol, mild to moderate abdominal pain may occur between two episodes of severe abdominal pain.
Continued inflammation will further damage the pancreas gland and further interfere with its function in producing digestive enzymes and insulin. At an advanced stage, complaints and symptoms will appear in the form of:
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea and vomiting constantly.
- Weight loss for no apparent reason.
- Stool smells bad with an oily texture.
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
- Symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent thirst, fatigue, and increased frequency of urination.
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience severe abdominal pain that lasts for several hours or several days, especially if you have a habit of consuming alcoholic beverages.
Also check with a doctor if the skin and eyes look yellow, or experience the complaints described above.
When you have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, take control as directed by your doctor. Routine control aims to monitor the progress of the disease as well as to prevent complications.
Causes of Chronic Pancreatitis
As many as 70% of cases of chronic pancreatitis are caused by the consumption of alcoholic beverages for years. Recurrent acute inflammation of the pancreas can trigger chronic pancreatitis.
Some diseases that are also thought to trigger chronic pancreatitis are:
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
- Autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas.
- Blockage of the pancreatic duct due to gallstones.
- Side effects of drugs, such as azathioprine, sulfonamides, and thiazides.
- Overactive parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism).
- High levels of triglycerides in the blood.
- Family history of pancreatitis.
- Cystic fibrosis.
Chronic pancreatitis can affect anyone. However, this disease is more common in people aged 30-40 years, male, and has a smoking habit.
Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis
The doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms and perform a physical examination. If the patient is suspected of having chronic pancreatitis, the doctor will confirm it with supporting examinations, such as:
- Blood test, to measure enzyme levels in the pancreas.
- Scanning with a CT scan or MRI, to see the possibility of gallstones and examine the condition of the pancreas as a whole.
- Pancreatic biopsy, which is taking a sample of pancreatic tissue to be studied in the laboratory.
Chronic Pancreatitis Treatment
The goals of treatment for chronic pancreatitis are to relieve pain, treat the cause, and treat disorders caused by decreased function of this gland.
Although damage to the pancreas cannot be cured, treatment can reduce the complaints experienced by sufferers and overcome disorders caused by malfunctioning of the pancreas.
Some methods of treating chronic pancreatitis are:
Lifestyle changes
The doctor will ask the patient to stop consuming alcoholic beverages and stop smoking through counseling or therapy.
Administration of drugs
The types of drugs given include:
- Pain relievers, ranging from paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, to opioid drugs, such as codeine or tramadol.
- Additional medications to help reduce pain, such as amitriptyline and gabapentin.
- Pancreatic enzyme replacement supplement.
- Steroid class drugs, in patients with chronic pancreatitis caused by autoimmune diseases.
- Insulin, if chronic pancreatitis causes diabetic patients.
Changes in diet
Chronic pancreatitis will affect the body's ability to digest food, so patients will be advised to consume lots of nuts, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy, foods high in protein and rich in antioxidants, and avoid foods high in fat and sugar.
This diet or eating pattern will be carried out by a nutrition specialist taking into account the patient's condition.
Operation
Most patients with chronic pancreatitis do not need surgery. However, if the abdominal pain gets worse and does not improve with medication, surgery may be performed to remove the damaged part of the pancreas, open the blockage in the pancreatic duct, or drain fluid from the cyst.
Complications of Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis has the potential to cause complications, both physically and mentally. Some of these complications are:
- Diabetes, due to the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin.
- Pseudocysts, or the appearance of a fluid-filled sac on the surface of the pancreas.
- Malnutrition, due to impaired absorption of nutrients due to the inability of the pancreas to produce and drain digestive enzymes.
- Pancreatic cancer, especially in patients with chronic pancreatitis who are elderly and have a smoking habit.
Prevention Chronic Pancreatitis
As noted above, most cases of chronic pancreatitis are caused by alcoholism. Therefore, the most effective prevention is to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Other prevention efforts that can be done are eating a balanced nutritious diet and stopping smoking.
