Pancreatitis
As its name implies, pancreatitis is the pancreas’ inflammation. Whether chronic or acute, many people with the condition generally experience pain in the middle-left of their upper abdomen as the primary symptom. Beyond long-lasting back discomfort and abdominal pain, other common signs of the disease are fever, nausea, vomiting, tender abdomen, rapid heart rate, diarrhea, and weight loss. Those with chronic pancreatitis might also have steatorrhea or fatty stools emitting intensely foul odors.
In most cases, steatorrhea is an indicator of malabsorption, which means that the body isn’t getting all essential nutrients due to the inability of the organ to secrete sufficient digestive enzymes. The known causes of pancreatitis include gallstones, excessive alcohol consumption, specific medications, pancreatic cancer, abdominal surgical procedures, infections, cystic fibrosis, and injury. In addition, an excessively high level of triglycerides or calcium may also result in pancreatitis.
By far, the most common cause of the condition is gallstone. Lodged stones in the bile duct may lead to a build-up of substances, causing the inflammation of both organs. Complications that may arise from a lack of treatment are malnutrition, diabetes, and cancer. Pseudocysts may also form. If they rupture, they may cause life-threatening bleeding and infection.
