Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition affecting your pancreas, a small but powerful organ behind your stomach. Your pancreas helps your body digest food and control blood sugar, so when it’s not working right, it can lead to serious, possibly life-threatening health problems.
If you’re wondering how to fix pancreatitis, you’re not alone. Many people don’t realize how important the pancreas is until it starts causing pain. Below, we’ll walk through what causes pancreatitis, the signs to look out for, how it’s treated, and when to get help.
What is pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis happens when the pancreas becomes inflamed. Normally, the pancreas makes enzymes that are transported via small tubes within the pancreas into the intestine to help digest food. But certain conditions will cause damage or change to the tubes within the pancreas, causing these enzymes to get activated within the pancreatic tissue. This leads to pancreatitis causing swelling of the gland, irritation, and pain.
There are two main types of pancreatitis:
- Acute pancreatitis – comes on suddenly and usually lasts a few days
- Chronic pancreatitis – a long-lasting condition that can lead to permanent damage
Both types need medical attention, but they may be treated differently.
What causes pancreatitis?
There are several reasons why someone might develop pancreatitis. The most common causes include:
- Gallstones – Called gallstone pancreatitis. Small stones form in the gallbladder and block the duct connecting to the pancreas and prevent the pancreatic enzymes from reaching the small intestines.
- Heavy alcohol use – According to the CDC, heavy drinking is when you drink eight or more drinks for women or 15 or more drinks for men during a week, especially over long periods of time. However, the amount of alcohol needed to cause pancreatitis is variable – pancreatitis can occur even with small doses of alcohol intake. Using Nicotine (cigarettes/chewing tobacco/vaping/nicotine patch or gum) simultaneously, also increases your risk of pancreatitis but decreasing microscopic blood flow to the pancreas.
- High triglycerides – A type of fat found in the blood. Having high triglycerides (>500 mg/dl) can cause acute pancreatitis. This is common in poorly controlled diabetes.
- Certain medications – Some medicines can trigger inflammation
- Injury or surgery – Trauma to the abdomen may affect the pancreas
- Genetic factors or autoimmune conditions
In some cases, the cause isn’t known — this is called idiopathic pancreatitis.
Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatitis
The symptoms can vary depending on whether the condition is acute or chronic. Some people have mild discomfort, while others experience severe pain.
Common symptoms include:
- Upper belly pain that may spread to your back
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
- Swollen, tender abdomen
- Fast heartbeat
- Weight loss (more common with chronic pancreatitis)
- Oily, floating stools (a sign of poor digestion)
If you’re feeling any of these symptoms, especially if the pain is severe, it’s important to seek care right away.
How is pancreatitis diagnosed?
A proper pancreatitis diagnosis will usually start with your doctor performing a physical exam and asking about your symptoms. Then they may order tests like:
- Blood tests to check for high levels of pancreatic enzymes
- Imaging tests like a CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound to look at the structure your pancreas
- Stool tests for signs of digestion problems (mainly for chronic pancreatitis)
Finding the cause helps doctors decide the best treatment plan for you.
How do you fix pancreatitis?
Treatment for acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis may look different, but they both focus on three things: healing the pancreas, treating the cause, and managing pain or other symptoms. Here’s what that can look like:
1. Hospital Care for Acute Pancreatitis
Many people with acute pancreatitis need to stay in the hospital for a few days. However, depending on the severity of acute pancreatitis, the disease may be life threatening and may require prolonged and repeated hospitalizations. You may receive:
- IV fluids to prevent dehydration
- Pain relievers to ease discomfort
- Appropriate nutrition therapy – either by mouth or via feeding tubes to maintain nutrition during the healing process.
Most people begin to feel better in a few days, and food is slowly added back into the diet. However, this depends heavily on the severity of disease.
2. Treating the Underlying Cause
To prevent pancreatitis from coming back, the cause must be treated. This may include:
- Gallbladder removal if gallstones are the cause
- Lifestyle changes, like stopping alcohol or nicotine
- Lowering high triglycerides through medication, controlling diabetes and diet
- Changing medications that may be irritating the pancreas
In severe cases, you will need to be seen by a HepatoPancreatoBiliary Surgeon to guide your care. In some cases, your doctor may recommend endoscopic procedures like ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) or EUS guided debridement of the pancreas.
ERCP is a special test that uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to look at the pancreatic and bile ducts. During ERCP, doctors can remove gallstones, open narrowed ducts, or place a stent to keep things flowing. It’s often used when a blockage is causing the inflammation. EUS guided debridement is used when an infection has developed within the inflamed/damaged pancreas.
3. Managing Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis requires long-term care. Treatment may involve:
- Enzyme supplements to help digest food
- Lifestyle management – quitting alcohol and nicotine.
- Low-fat diet with smaller, more frequent meals
- Pain management
- Monitoring blood sugar levels, since the pancreas also controls insulin
- Managing associated psychiatric issues – anxiety, depression
In serious cases, surgery may be needed to remove damaged parts of the pancreas or to drain fluid buildup.
What surgery will fix pancreatitis?
Surgery isn’t usually the first step for treating pancreatitis. Many people can get better with rest, fluids, and medicine. If your condition doesn’t get better, the case is severe, or you begin experiencing complications (like infections or blocked bile ducts) surgery may be necessary. Here are some of the most common surgeries to treat pancreatitis:
- Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) – if gallstones are the reason for your pancreatitis, your doctor my remove your gallbladder. This surgery helps prevent future attack and done after you’ve recovered from pancreatitis.
- Pancreatic duct surgery – best for blocked or narrowed pancreatic duct. Sometimes the tube that carries the pancreatic enzymes to the intestines gets blocked, causing inflammation. Your pancreas surgeon can open the duct or create a new pathway to help it drain better.
- Pseudocyst or Abscess Drainage – if a cyst or abscess is causing the inflammation or pain, your doctor may drain it. This is often performed via endoscopy using EUS guided techniques.
- Pancreas removal (pancreatectomy) – in rare and serious cases of chronic pancreatitis, all or part of the pancreas may be removed. This surgery is usually for people with long-term pancreatitis who haven’t felt relief with other treatments.
As with any surgery, there are risks, such as bleeding, infection or problems with digestion afterward. If you have your pancreas removed, you may need to take insulin and digestive enzymes for the rest of your life.
If your treatment plan does require surgery, your care team will explain the risks and help guide you on the best treatment for you and your case.
How long does recovery take?
If you have mild acute pancreatitis, you may recover in a few days to a week. Severe cases or chronic pancreatitis may take longer, with ongoing treatment to manage symptoms.
It’s important to follow your provider’s instructions and stick to recommended diet and lifestyle changes to prevent future flare-ups.
When should you see a doctor?
Don’t ignore ongoing or severe stomach pain. You should call your doctor or go to the emergency department if you have:
- Sudden, sharp pain in your belly
- Pain that gets worse after eating
- Repeated vomiting
- Fever with abdominal pain
The sooner you get help, the better your chances of a full recovery.
Final Thoughts
So, how do you fix pancreatitis? It starts with recognizing the symptoms and getting the right care. Don’t wait if you’re in pain. If you suspect that you may have acute pancreatitis, please visit your closest emergency department. You can find a list of EDs and their current wait times at nghs.com/emergency-unplanned-care.
If you’re living with severe or ongoing symptoms of chronic pancreatitis, it may be time to take the next step. Our expert Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeons specialize in treating complex pancreatic conditions with advanced, personalized care.