Acute Pancreatitis Symptoms

By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD

Acute pancreatitis is an emergency that needs to be treated urgently. There are a few warning symptoms that may occur suddenly and the patient needs to seek help immediately if these symptoms occur.

The symptoms of acute pancreatitis include:-

• The commonest symptom of acute pancreatitis is sudden onset of a severe pain in the center of the upper abdomen. The pain is dull in nature and is located at the top of the abdomen.

• The pain gets worse over time and there is a constant pain.

• The pain may radiate or travel from the abdomen to the back and worsens after a meal. The pain may especially be worse after a large meal for persons who have developed acute pancreatitis due to presence of gall bladder stones.

• The pain is eased to a certain extent when the patient curls up into a fetal position or curls up into a ball.

• If the acute pancreatitis is brought about by alcohol, the pain often develops 6 to 12 hours after a drinking a large amount of alcohol.

• Nausea and vomiting. Nausea is more common and may be accompanied by retching.

• Diarrhea

• Loss of appetite

• There may be a high rise of temperature over 38°C or 100.4°F.

• Some patients may also present with liver damage. This is called jaundice and is typically manifested by yellowing of the whites of the eyes, nail beds and skin.

• There may be excessive sweating and there is a rapid heart rate or palpitation

• Some patients may experience abnormal bloating of the abdomen.

• In very severe cases the patient may lose consciousness or collapse

• Symptoms are often confused with other emergencies like heart attack, gall bladder stones, biliary colic, and perforation of a stomach or duodenum ulcer.

Reviewed by April Cashin-Garbutt, BA Hons (Cantab)

Further Reading

• What is Acute Pancreatitis?
• Acute Pancreatitis Causes
• Acute Pancreatitis Pathogenesis
• Acute Pancreatitis Diagnosis
• Acute Pancreatitis Treatment