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Chronic pancreatitis is different to acute pancreatitis, where the pancreas becomes suddenly inflamed.
The main symptom of chronic pancreatitis is pain in your tummy (abdomen).
The pain may be:
Other symptoms of chronic pancreatitis can include:
Chronic pancreatitis mainly affects adults and is more common in people who drink or smoke a lot.
Chronic pancreatitis symptoms can be similar to other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gallstones.
This could be a sign of acute pancreatitis or another condition that may need to be treated in hospital as soon as possible.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
There's no single test for chronic pancreatitis. A doctor may need to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms first.
A GP may:
They may refer you to a specialist for more tests, such as:
If you have chronic pancreatitis, the damage and scarring to your pancreas can often cause other problems, such as:
People with chronic pancreatitis also have a higher risk of getting pancreatic cancer.
There's currently no cure for chronic pancreatitis. But treatment can help manage the symptoms and related problems like diabetes or difficulty absorbing nutrients from food.
You'll be supported by different healthcare professionals. This may include your GP and specialist doctors, nurses and food and nutrition specialists (dietitians).
Treatments you may need include:
Sometimes you may also have treatment for the cause of your pancreatitis. For example, steroid medicine can help if it's caused by your immune system attacking your pancreas.
If you have chronic pancreatitis, there are things you can do to help stop the damage to your pancreas getting worse and reduce the risk of other problems.
eat a healthy, balanced diet – this can help you get the nutrients you need
do not drink alcohol – drinking alcohol can cause more damage to your pancreas, even if the condition was not caused by alcohol
do not smoke – if you smoke, giving up can help slow down the damage to the pancreas
The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is drinking alcohol.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause your pancreas to become inflamed for a short time, known as acute pancreatitis.
If you keep drinking and keep getting acute pancreatitis, eventually your pancreas can become permanently scarred.
Chronic pancreatitis can also be linked to:
Sometimes it's not clear what the cause is.
Chronic pancreatitis is a serious condition that can have a big impact on your life.
Symptoms like pain, feeling sick and being sick can be stressful to live with. You'll also need to have regular check-ups, tests and scans to check for problems like diabetes or weakened bones.
The condition can affect how long you live, although this is different for everybody. Most people live with it for many years.
The damage to your pancreas usually gets worse over time and it's not possible to reverse it. But not drinking alcohol and not smoking can help slow it down and reduce the risk of getting other problems.
Chronic pancreatitis can be a difficult condition to live with, both physically and emotionally.
As well as support from your GP and specialist team, you may find it helpful to get support from other people with chronic pancreatitis, either at a local support group or online.
There are national charities that can offer support and information.
For people with conditions affecting the digestive system.
For people living with pain.
