Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesDiagnosisDietWeight LossNatural Remedies
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Diagnosis
Diet
Weight Loss
Natural Remedies
Pancreatitis is swelling or inflammation of the pancreas. It’s very painful and can be fatal in severe cases.
If your pain starts suddenly and lasts for a few days, you have an acute form of pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis requires immediate hospital attention, and should not be treated at home.
If your pain is long-lasting and occurs over many years, you have the chronic form. While there is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, lifestyle changes and natural remedies can help you manage your symptoms and prevent flare-ups.
Read on to learn more about the various natural home treatment options for chronic pancreatitis, including diet and lifestyle changes.
What Causes Pancreatitis?
Your pancreas is located behind your stomach in the upper part of your belly. When you eat, it makes juices containing enzymes that break down food. When your pancreas gets swollen or inflamed, the enzymes mistakenly attack the very tissues that make them.
There are two types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic.
Acute Pancreatitis
Every year in the U.S., about 275,000 people are hospitalized with acute pancreatitis.Gallstonesare the most common cause. Other causes include:
Depending on the severity, symptoms of acute pancreatitis may include:
Acute pancreatitis can be life-threatening. Seek medical attention right away if you experience symptoms such as:Pain or tenderness in the abdomen that is severe or becomes worseNausea and vomitingFever or chillsFast heartbeatShortness of breathJaundice
Acute pancreatitis can be life-threatening. Seek medical attention right away if you experience symptoms such as:
Acute pancreatitis requires treatment in a hospital setting, and you should never try to treat acute pancreatitis at home. Treatment often involves intravenous (IV) fluids. Healthcare providers deliver antibiotics, liquids, and painkillers directly into a vein through the IV in your arm.
Chronic Pancreatitis
For chronic pancreatitis, the most common cause is heavy alcohol use, which is defined as drinking four to five alcoholic drinks a day.Other causes of chronic pancreatitis include:
Symptoms may include:
This form of pancreatitis can worsen over time and cause organ damage,diabetes,kidney failure, and breathing problems.
There is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, but certain home treatments can help you manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. This includes eating right, watching your weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
How Is Pancreatitis Diagnosed?
Pancreatitis is diagnosed using your medical history, a physical exam, and lab and imaging tests. Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms and family history.
During the physical exam, your healthcare provider will press on your abdomen to check for pain, swelling, or tenderness.
Several lab tests may be ordered, as well as imaging tests, such as:
Can You Test for Pancreatitis at Home?
What to Eat and Drink if You Have Pancreatitis
When your healthcare provider clears you to eat again, you can make several diet and nutrition changes at home to relieve pain and inflammation safely.
The National Pancreas Foundation recommends patients with pancreatitis limit their fat intake to 30 to 50 grams per day. Patients should eat four to six small meals each day.
Healthy Foods to Eat With Chronic Pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis is becoming more common in the United States. Unhealthy diets and higher rates of obesity may be responsible for this trend because a high-fat diet increases the risk of gallstones.
Studies have also shown that being obese can worsen the severity of acute pancreatitis. Fat in and around the pancreas can cause inflammation. In severe cases, this can damage cells and tissue within your pancreas.
If you’re obese, your healthcare provider will likely recommend losing weight to prevent flare-ups. Losing weight requires behavior and lifestyle changes like exercising more and limiting your portion sizes. You might also want to ask your healthcare provider about seeing a registered dietitian and getting help from a fitness expert.
Natural Remedies for Pancreatitis
Research on the use of natural remedies for pancreatitis relief is limited. There is some evidence that certain supplements may ease symptoms. Here’s a look at findings from those studies:
Antioxidants
In one review, researchers looked at 12 studies involving 585 people living with chronic pancreatitis. Some took antioxidants; some didn’t. The participants rated their pain on a scale of one to 10. The researchers found that one-third of the people who took the antioxidants reported having less pain after six months.
However, the number of pain-free patients at the end of the study was the same in both groups. The people who took the supplements also reported having more side effects, like headaches or upset stomachs.
Patients with pancreatitis have lower levels of antioxidants and higher levels offree radicals—unstable molecules in the body that can damage cells and cause illness. Other studies have found no benefit to treatment with antioxidants.
Glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid. It helps break down food and boosts your immune system.
Infection is a common cause of death among people with severe acute pancreatitis.Glutamine supplements have been shown to increase the immune response, so it may help people fight off infections.
In one study, researchers reviewed 12 clinical trials with a total of 505 patients with acute pancreatitis. Healthcare providers treated some with glutamine. Others didn’t get the supplements. The study found that the patients treated with glutamine were:
However, the researchers say the treatment only helped patients fed through tubes. There was also no difference in the length of hospital stays between patients who got the treatment and those who didn’t.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Researchers reviewed eight clinical trials involving 364 participants with severe acute pancreatitis. Some were treated with omega-3 fatty acids. Others weren’t.
Patients fed through feeding tubes benefitted more than those who could eat normally.
Medications for the Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis
Summary
Pancreatitis is painful swelling or inflammation of the pancreas that can be acute or chronic. In severe cases, it can be fatal. With chronic inflammation, making specific lifestyle changes can help ease pain and lessen the risk of future attacks. These changes include avoiding alcohol, limiting caffeine, following a low-fat diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Some small studies have suggested that using supplements to treat people with severe cases of pancreatitis may help lessen their pain, avoid infections, and live longer. However, more studies are needed and it’s too early to tell whether these remedies can benefit all people with pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis Symptoms and Treatment
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah AP, Mourad MM, Bramhall SR.Acute pancreatitis: current perspectives on diagnosis and management.J Inflamm Res. 2018;11:77-85. doi:10.2147/JIR.S135751National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.The National Pancreas Foundation.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Pancreatitis.Klochkov A, Kudaravalli P, Lim Y, Sun Y.Alcoholic pancreatitis.StatPearls.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for pancreatitis.National Pancreas Foundation.Nutrition advice and recipes.Khatua B, El-Kurdi B, Singh VP.Obesity and pancreatitis.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2017;33(5):374-382. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000386Ahmed Ali U, Jens S, Busch OR, et al.Antioxidants for pain in chronic pancreatitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(8):CD008945. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008945.pub2Rupasinghe SN, Siriwardena AK.Long-term outcome of patients with chronic pancreatitis treated with micronutrient antioxidant therapy.Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2017;16(2):209-214. doi:10.1016/S1499-3872(16)60128-5Merck Manual.Acute pancreatitis.Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, et al. Glutamine:Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564Asrani V, Chang WK, Dong Z, Hardy G, Windsor JA, Petrov MS.Glutamine supplementation in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Pancreatology. 2013;13(5):468-74. doi:10.1016/j.pan.2013.07.282Lei QC, Wang XY, Xia XF, et al.The role of omega-3 fatty acids in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2261-73. doi:10.3390/nu7042261Additional ReadingCleveland Clinic.Pancreatitis: diagnosis, tests, management and treatment.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of pancreatitis.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah AP, Mourad MM, Bramhall SR.Acute pancreatitis: current perspectives on diagnosis and management.J Inflamm Res. 2018;11:77-85. doi:10.2147/JIR.S135751National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.The National Pancreas Foundation.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Pancreatitis.Klochkov A, Kudaravalli P, Lim Y, Sun Y.Alcoholic pancreatitis.StatPearls.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for pancreatitis.National Pancreas Foundation.Nutrition advice and recipes.Khatua B, El-Kurdi B, Singh VP.Obesity and pancreatitis.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2017;33(5):374-382. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000386Ahmed Ali U, Jens S, Busch OR, et al.Antioxidants for pain in chronic pancreatitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(8):CD008945. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008945.pub2Rupasinghe SN, Siriwardena AK.Long-term outcome of patients with chronic pancreatitis treated with micronutrient antioxidant therapy.Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2017;16(2):209-214. doi:10.1016/S1499-3872(16)60128-5Merck Manual.Acute pancreatitis.Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, et al. Glutamine:Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564Asrani V, Chang WK, Dong Z, Hardy G, Windsor JA, Petrov MS.Glutamine supplementation in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Pancreatology. 2013;13(5):468-74. doi:10.1016/j.pan.2013.07.282Lei QC, Wang XY, Xia XF, et al.The role of omega-3 fatty acids in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2261-73. doi:10.3390/nu7042261Additional ReadingCleveland Clinic.Pancreatitis: diagnosis, tests, management and treatment.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of pancreatitis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shah AP, Mourad MM, Bramhall SR.Acute pancreatitis: current perspectives on diagnosis and management.J Inflamm Res. 2018;11:77-85. doi:10.2147/JIR.S135751National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.The National Pancreas Foundation.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Pancreatitis.Klochkov A, Kudaravalli P, Lim Y, Sun Y.Alcoholic pancreatitis.StatPearls.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chronic pancreatitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for pancreatitis.National Pancreas Foundation.Nutrition advice and recipes.Khatua B, El-Kurdi B, Singh VP.Obesity and pancreatitis.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2017;33(5):374-382. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000386Ahmed Ali U, Jens S, Busch OR, et al.Antioxidants for pain in chronic pancreatitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(8):CD008945. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008945.pub2Rupasinghe SN, Siriwardena AK.Long-term outcome of patients with chronic pancreatitis treated with micronutrient antioxidant therapy.Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2017;16(2):209-214. doi:10.1016/S1499-3872(16)60128-5Merck Manual.Acute pancreatitis.Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, et al. Glutamine:Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564Asrani V, Chang WK, Dong Z, Hardy G, Windsor JA, Petrov MS.Glutamine supplementation in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Pancreatology. 2013;13(5):468-74. doi:10.1016/j.pan.2013.07.282Lei QC, Wang XY, Xia XF, et al.The role of omega-3 fatty acids in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2261-73. doi:10.3390/nu7042261
Shah AP, Mourad MM, Bramhall SR.Acute pancreatitis: current perspectives on diagnosis and management.J Inflamm Res. 2018;11:77-85. doi:10.2147/JIR.S135751
National Health Service UK.Acute pancreatitis.
The National Pancreas Foundation.Chronic pancreatitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Pancreatitis.
Klochkov A, Kudaravalli P, Lim Y, Sun Y.Alcoholic pancreatitis.StatPearls.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chronic pancreatitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for pancreatitis.
National Pancreas Foundation.Nutrition advice and recipes.
Khatua B, El-Kurdi B, Singh VP.Obesity and pancreatitis.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2017;33(5):374-382. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000386
Ahmed Ali U, Jens S, Busch OR, et al.Antioxidants for pain in chronic pancreatitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(8):CD008945. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008945.pub2
Rupasinghe SN, Siriwardena AK.Long-term outcome of patients with chronic pancreatitis treated with micronutrient antioxidant therapy.Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2017;16(2):209-214. doi:10.1016/S1499-3872(16)60128-5
Merck Manual.Acute pancreatitis.
Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, et al. Glutamine:Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564
Asrani V, Chang WK, Dong Z, Hardy G, Windsor JA, Petrov MS.Glutamine supplementation in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Pancreatology. 2013;13(5):468-74. doi:10.1016/j.pan.2013.07.282
Lei QC, Wang XY, Xia XF, et al.The role of omega-3 fatty acids in acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2261-73. doi:10.3390/nu7042261
Cleveland Clinic.Pancreatitis: diagnosis, tests, management and treatment.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of pancreatitis.
Cleveland Clinic.Pancreatitis: diagnosis, tests, management and treatment.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of pancreatitis.
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