Five Ways To Reduce Chronic Pancreatitis Pain

Chronic pancreatitis pain is a severe, often unbearable, and disabling sensation resulting from inflammation of the pancreas—an organ located in the upper mid-abdomen. It frequently arises due to prolonged alcohol consumption and gallstones.

If you are reading this article, chances are you are either experiencing this pain or know someone who has been enduring it for years.

This condition often leads to multiple consultations and hospital admissions, resulting in persistent chronic pain that proves unresponsive to medications. In such a scenario, what can be done, and is there a holy grail to alleviate the pain? The answer is yes. Read on…

Pain-Free Five

As pain physicians, we routinely encounter chronic pancreatitis pain, advising and treating patients with an early conservative course followed by an interventional approach. While not exhaustive, these FIVE WAYS succinctly summarize the advice we offer.

1. Lifestyle Changes: Most crucially, complete abstinence from alcohol. Pancreas is an organ responsible for digestion of food using digestive enzymes. Consumption of alcohol leads to production of toxic products which cause the pancreas to digest itself. Hence alcohol not only initiates this pain but also perpetuation of the pain.
2. Dietary Adjustments: Avoidance of fat, oily, and spicy foods. Given that the pancreas often loses part or most of its function by the time patients seek help, long-term avoidance of such foods is recommended, as they can trigger pain in chronic pancreatitis. Here is a list of fat foods.
3. Glucose Monitoring: Though not directly linked with pain of chronic pancreatitis, diabetes can ensue with chronic pancreatitis since pancreas is the only organ in the human body secreting insulin. And diabetes can indirectly aggravate pain. Hence managing the glucose levels is of utmost importance.
4. Regular Medications: Including doctor-prescribed safe painkillers and enzyme supplements. While there is no curative care for pancreatitis, symptoms can be managed by regular intake( not on as needed basis) of safe painkillers as prescribed by your doctor, along with enzyme supplements that may be deficient. What are safe painkillers, watch out for next blog.
5. Interventional Pain Management: Despite conservative measures, pain may persist. Interventional options, both surgical and non-surgical, are available. Pain physicians can block the transmission of pain impulses to the brain using minimally invasive procedures like celiac plexus block, sphlanchnic neurolysis, radiofrequency ablation, etc., providing long-lasting relief. Contacting your pain physician or requesting your doctor to refer you to one will help them.

Celiac Plexus Block given for a patient with pain of pancreatic origin.

Its not the end of the road

Remember, “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” If you’re dealing with seemingly incurable pain, share your experience in the comment box below or feel free to meet with me personally.

Dr. Milon Mitragotri