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A 60-year-old male asked:

What is pancreatitis?

3 doctor answers13 doctors weighed in
Dr. Allen Fein
Specializes in Family Medicine
Bad Trouble!: Pancreatitis is known as one of the most painful conditions. The name refers to a state of inflammation of the pancreas. The common causes or viral infection, alcohol irritation, triglyceride irritation, and infrequently from a bile stone. Another common cause is simply "unknown" or idiopathic in medical jargon. Treatment is usually pain meds, antibiotics and IV fluids. Nothing by mouth.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Barry Rosen
Dr. Barry Rosen commented
General Surgery 36 years experience
Gallstones and alcohol are responsible for most cases of acute pancreatitis, with near-equal incidence (depending on the community). If the episode is severe and due to stones, emergent ERCP performed by gastroenterologists may improve outcomes.
Dec 8, 2011
Dr. Barry Rosen
General Surgery 36 years experience
Inflamed pancreas. : The pancreas is located just below your stomach in front of the spine. It produces Insulin as well as the enzymes that digest food. Inflammation is almost always due to gallstones or alcoholism. Most cases resolve with few problems after a short hospital stay, but serious (life-threatening) problems can occur. If due to gallbladder problem, we recommend surgery after the episode resolves.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Andrea Brand
Specializes in Family Medicine
Inflammation: Pancreatitis is inflammation of an abdominal organ involved in secretion of digestive enzymes and insulin
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Similar questions

A 46-year-old member asked:

What is a treatment for pancreatitis ?

3 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ralph Layman
Transplant Surgery 22 years experience
Multi-layered: First you treat the pancreatitis. Sometimes mild pancreatitis can be treated with simply some bowel rest. More severe attacks may require IV fluids or antibiotics. In rare cases you may. Need urgent surgery. Once the pancreatitis is treated you have to figure out why you had the attack. In the U.S. The most common causes are alcohol or gallstones. There are many other causes as well.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:

How can I treat pancreatitis?

1 doctor answer6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Joseph Roosth
Internal Medicine 37 years experience
Bowel Rest: Pancreatitis is usually treated by allowing nothing to be taken by mouth, adequate fluid administration and pain medication, usually given intravenously. Because it is diagnosed by way of blood tests and x-rays, i think it is safe to assume that most people cannot diagnose it on their own, but if you have any suspicion of having it, i'd say go straight to an emergency room.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:

Is pancreatitis curable?

1 doctor answer7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Alvin Mathew
Internal Medicine 20 years experience
Curable?: It can be treated and resolved but unless the cause is found and correctly addressed, it can happen again.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:

What do you recommend for pancreatitis?

1 doctor answer6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Alvin Mathew
Internal Medicine 20 years experience
Many things: Rest your bowel until the pain is improved. Pain control. Maintain good hydration but most importantly find out the cause of the pancreatitis and treat it or avoid it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Algeria
A 18-year-old male asked:

What are the tests for pancreatitis?

2 doctor answers3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kenneth Smith
Internal Medicine 34 years experience
Pancreatitis: Elevated amylase lipase.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Aruna Adaikkalam
Internal Medicine 40 years experience
Also calcium level is important as it becomes low in pancreatitis when the calcium is used in soap formation by combining with the lipids digested by lipase in the area of pacreas and around. Similarly liver function tests are important as the gall stones which are important in causing the pancreatitis ,are reflected in the lab tests.Also lipid profile-especially triglyceride level we need to know as high levels precipitate pancreatitis.
Nov 25, 2012

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Last updated Aug 30, 2017

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