Pancreas pain is often felt in the upper middle or the upper left of your abdomen.
The pancreas pain that is felt in the upper middle or upper left abdomen, often also radiates to the back or even below your left shoulder blade.
Pancreas pain can also get worse after eating, especially after eating fatty foods, or when you lay down flat.
The pancreas pain can also be steady, severe and even be accompanied by vomiting, nausea, and abdominal tenderness, which signals potentially serious pancreatitis.
The key characteristics of pancreas pain are the location, radiation, triggers, aggravating factors, the nature of the pain and relief of the pain.
The pain with your pancreas or pancreatitis can be constant and severe and last for days in acute cases.
Leaning forward or curling up can sometimes ease the pancreas pain.
Laying flat on your back can also intensify the pancreas pain.
And eating meals, especially meals or foods high in fat can trigger the pancreas pain and or make the pancreas pain worse.
The pancreas pain can and often spreads to the back, under your left shoulder blade, or through the trunk.
And the location of the pancreas pain is often in the upper abdomen, which can be center or left or sometimes felt in the back.
Other symptoms that can occur with pancreas pain include nausea and vomiting, abdominal bloating and abdominal tenderness, fever and rapid pulse, jaundice, yellow skin and eyes, diarrhea and or clay colored stools.
If you have any severe or persistent abdominal pain, especially with vomiting or other symptoms you should seek medical attention immediately.
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of your pancreas.
Your pancreas is an organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and hormones, which occurs when these enzymes activate too early and start digesting the pancreas itself.
Pancreatitis can be acute (sudden, short-lived, often caused by gallstones or alcohol) or chronic (long-term, progressive, often from heavy alcohol use).
Key symptoms of pancreatitis include severe upper abdominal pain radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting, fever, and rapid pulse, with treatment focusing on pain relief, fluids, and addressing the underlying cause, as severe cases can be life-threatening.
Chronic pancreatitis results in ongoing inflammation, which leads to permanent damage, often from long term alcohol abuse, although genetic factors or cystic fibrosis can also be a cause of chronic pancreatitis.
Acute pancreatitis is sudden onset of pancreatitis, which usually resolves within days, but it can also be severe, often triggered by gallstones blocking ducts or even be caused by alcohol.