How to Diagnose Chronic Pancreatitis

Monitor for abdominal pain., Determine if you feel sick after eating., Check for digestion issues., Look for other symptoms., Identify the risk factors.

5 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Monitor for abdominal pain.

    The most common symptom of chronic pancreatitis is recurrent episodes of abdominal pain.

    This pain can occur in the upper, middle, or left side of the abdomen.

    This pain may subside and then come back, and it may become more frequent as the pancreatitis gets worse.The pain may also be felt in the back area.

    The pain may happen all the time and affect your mobility and everyday life.Some people have no pain at all.

    Some experience pain that lasts for a duration of a few days or weeks before the pain just goes away.

    The pain then returns again.
  2. Step 2: Determine if you feel sick after eating.

    Another symptom of chronic pancreatitis is digestive problems.

    You may experience pain when you eat or drink anything.

    After eating, you may feel nauseous and even vomit.Those digestive problems can occur when you eat, but they may also occur randomly when you haven’t eaten anything. , Another symptom of chronic pancreatitis is digestion problems.

    When the pancreas doesn’t work properly, the body doesn’t have what it needs to digest things like fats and proteins.

    This may affect your digestion and give you diarrhea.Because the fat isn’t digested, it becomes part of the feces.

    This can make the feces be loose or oily, have an abnormally bad odor, and be pale in color.

    The feces may be difficult to flush.

    You may also experience weight loss because of the problems digesting food. , Other symptoms that may occur with chronic pancreatitis are jaundice and signs of diabetes.

    Jaundice occurs when your eyes and skin start to turn a yellow color.Diabetes symptoms include frequent hunger (polyphagia), frequent thirst (polydipsia), and an increased need to urinate (polyuria).

    You may also feel very tired. , The exact causes of chronic pancreatitis are unknown.

    However, medical professionals have identified risk factors that can lead to chronic pancreatitis.

    If any of these risk factors apply to you, you may want to go to the doctor for a screening.

    The risk factors include:
    Heavy alcohol consumption History of smoking Renal failure Autoimmune diseases Cystic fibrosis genetic mutations Blocked pancreatic duct or common bile duct Family history of pancreatitis
  3. Step 3: Check for digestion issues.

  4. Step 4: Look for other symptoms.

  5. Step 5: Identify the risk factors.

Detailed Guide

The most common symptom of chronic pancreatitis is recurrent episodes of abdominal pain.

This pain can occur in the upper, middle, or left side of the abdomen.

This pain may subside and then come back, and it may become more frequent as the pancreatitis gets worse.The pain may also be felt in the back area.

The pain may happen all the time and affect your mobility and everyday life.Some people have no pain at all.

Some experience pain that lasts for a duration of a few days or weeks before the pain just goes away.

The pain then returns again.

Another symptom of chronic pancreatitis is digestive problems.

You may experience pain when you eat or drink anything.

After eating, you may feel nauseous and even vomit.Those digestive problems can occur when you eat, but they may also occur randomly when you haven’t eaten anything. , Another symptom of chronic pancreatitis is digestion problems.

When the pancreas doesn’t work properly, the body doesn’t have what it needs to digest things like fats and proteins.

This may affect your digestion and give you diarrhea.Because the fat isn’t digested, it becomes part of the feces.

This can make the feces be loose or oily, have an abnormally bad odor, and be pale in color.

The feces may be difficult to flush.

You may also experience weight loss because of the problems digesting food. , Other symptoms that may occur with chronic pancreatitis are jaundice and signs of diabetes.

Jaundice occurs when your eyes and skin start to turn a yellow color.Diabetes symptoms include frequent hunger (polyphagia), frequent thirst (polydipsia), and an increased need to urinate (polyuria).

You may also feel very tired. , The exact causes of chronic pancreatitis are unknown.

However, medical professionals have identified risk factors that can lead to chronic pancreatitis.

If any of these risk factors apply to you, you may want to go to the doctor for a screening.

The risk factors include:
Heavy alcohol consumption History of smoking Renal failure Autoimmune diseases Cystic fibrosis genetic mutations Blocked pancreatic duct or common bile duct Family history of pancreatitis

About the Author

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Alexis Evans

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