Diverticulitis is often treatable in the outpatient setting and rarely causes organ failure, whereas acute pancreatitis requires hospitalization and has a higher risk of progression to multiple complications, including multisystem organ failure.
One long-suspected cause of pancreatitis is small bowel diverticular disease, a common but usually asymptomatic condition.
People with acute pancreatitis often look ill and have a fever, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Other symptoms that may occur with this disease include: Clay-colored stools. Bloating and fullness.
The symptoms of acute pancreatitis can sometimes be confused with symptoms of other emergencies such as heart attack, biliary colic (gallbladder stones) or perforation of a gastric or duodenal ulcer.
The main symptom of acute pancreatitis is a severe, dull pain around the top of your stomach that develops suddenly. This aching pain often gets steadily worse and can travel along your back or below your left shoulder blade. Eating or drinking may also make you feel worse very quickly, especially fatty foods.
Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back. Tenderness when touching the abdomen. Fever.
Lifestyle remains the major culprit behind diverticulitis flare-ups. A high-fat, low-fiber diet commonly followed in Western countries can exacerbate diverticulitis symptoms. Lack of fiber in the diet can cause constipation and strain the bowel.
Symptoms of acute pancreatitis include:
Pain in the Upper Abdomen That Radiates to Your Back. Abdominal Pain Worsens After Eating, Especially Foods High in Fat. Abdomen Is Tender to the Touch. Nausea/Vomiting.
The one laboratory parameter which is often used to stage acute pancreatitis is the hematocrit. Hematocrit greater than 47% on admission has been shown to be a good predictor of pancreatic necrosis. Other markers also used to stage acute pancreatitis include levels of CRP and interleukin-6.
Diverticulosis occurs when small defects in the muscle of the wall of the large intestine or colon allow small pockets or pouches (diverticula) to form. Diverticulitis is infection or inflammation of these abnormal pouches. Together, these conditions are called diverticular disease.
Gallstones — Gallstones (including microlithiasis) are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis accounting for 40 to 70 percent of cases [14].
Symptoms of diverticulosis and diverticulitis are similar to other conditions, such as appendicitis, ovarian cyst, peptic ulcer, Crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome – so the doctor may do tests such as x-rays, ultrasound, or endoscopy to make the right diagnosis.
Mild cases of diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics and a low-fiber diet, or treatment may start with a period of rest where you eat nothing by mouth, then start with clear liquids and then move to a low-fiber diet until your condition improves. More-severe cases typically require hospitalization.
A CT scan, which can identify inflamed or infected pouches and confirm a diagnosis of diverticulitis. CT can also indicate the severity of diverticulitis and guide treatment.
Actually, no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. And no special diet has been proved to prevent attacks. In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn.
In about 80 out of 100 people, complicated diverticulitis clears up within a few weeks of having treatment with antibiotics. About 20 out of 100 people have surgery.
Diverticulitis is an intestinal disease that can cause fatigue in some people. The fatigue may be caused by infection, inflammation, or sleep disruption due to pain. It could also be related to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, dehydration, medication side effects, or surgery.
In severe cases, pancreatitis can be life-threatening. If you have severe abdominal (tummy) pain that lasts for more than 20 minutes, call your doctor or visit the emergency department of your local hospital. Pancreatitis can be either acute (sudden onset) or chronic (ongoing and longer-term).
“Silent,” or painless, chronic pancreatitis (CP) exists when patients with diagnostic features of CP describe no abdominal pain. It is a poorly understood phenomenon but it is important as it may go unnoticed until serious complications arise, including pancreatic insufficiency, diabetes, and even cancer.
What is it? Mid-back pain can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. The pain can be caused by a tumour invading nerves or organs that lie near the pancreas. Some people also report that they feel pain in their shoulder or under their shoulder blade.