Can you cure pancreatitis

Answer 1

Acute pancreatitis is a rapid inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that produces hormones which assist in our metabolism of glucose (like insulin) and also chemicals which break down and help digest the food we eat. It's a very serious illness and all patients with it should be looked after in hospital.

It can become inflamed for a number of reasons, the commonest in the western world being chronic alcohol use, and disease from gallstones. Some people on long term steroids from their doctor can also develop it, as can people who have a special hospital investigation called an ERCP. The viral infection that causes mumps is another known cause, although rarer.

In the short-term, there is no specific treatment for pancreatitis. Depending on how unwell patient's are with it, they may be cared for on general surgical ward, but some also require admission to an intensive care unit. The treatment is usually supportive - this means that the aim is to make the patient comfortable and correct any complications from the disease. This usually involves making sure the patient has adequate pain medication, is properly hydrated and receives appropriate nutritional support.

Patients can become extremely unwell with pancreatitis, and unfortunately it can be a fatal disease in some serious circumstances.

While most patients will go on to make a full recovery, some will have long-term complications from the disease, including failure of the pancreas itself (leading to Diabetes and/or problems with digestion), failure of other organs damaged during the acute phase (especially the kidneys), and serious infections in the abdomen which would require urgent surgery.

Avoiding pancreatitis isn't something that's always possible, but ensuring that you do not use more than the recommended intake of alcohol, and getting immunised against mumps are two ways some people may choose to avoid the disease.

Pancreatitis is usually extremely painful - needless to say anyone who experiences extreme abdominal pain should seek medical advice very urgently.