Pancreatic Diseases

The pancreas is a vital organ that secretes digestive enzymes and crucial hormones like insulin. Its diseases can be life-threatening. Painful conditions arising from the pancreas include pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) can cause sudden and continuous pain. Causes of pancreatitis can include gallstones, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption.

There's intense, continuous pain above and around the navel. In half of the cases, the pain radiates to the back, lower back, and groin. Patients can't lie on their backs and prefer sitting. Rapid-onset cases involve fever and increased heart rate. The pain can periodically intensify and become chronic. Belt-like pain in the lower back is a key characteristic of pancreatitis. Pancreatic cancer also causes similar pain. Differentiating it from pancreatitis, the pain is continuous, and there's an increasing jaundice. There's also rapid weight loss and loss of appetite.

 Pancreatic pain is very intense, and alleviating it isn't easy. Opioids  are used for treatment. For many patients, oral intake isn't enough. Especially in early-stage pancreatic cancer, pain can be alleviated by blocking the transmission of a nerve bundle  called the celiac ganglion in front of the aorta. Celiac plexus block provides excellent results in the early stages, significantly reducing pain. In advanced cancer patients, morphine pumps placed in the spinal  canal  are used for to relieve pain.