Mid-back pain can be a sign and symptom 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. Other people feel pain in their back and abdomen (tummy) at the same time.
Tummy or back pain
Pain is more common in cancers of the body and tail of the pancreas. People describe it as a dull pain that feels like it is boring into you. It can begin in the tummy area and spread around to the back. The pain is worse when you lie down and is better if you sit forward.
Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis
The pain usually develops in the middle or left side of your tummy and can move along your back. It's been described as a burning or shooting pain that comes and goes, but may last for several hours or days.
The main symptom of pancreatitis is pain in your upper abdomen that may spread to your back.
The pain may come and go to start with but become constant as time goes on. People often say that the pain gets worse after meals or when they lie down. Some people have pain at night and it disturbs their sleep. The pain might be mistaken for a pulled muscle or as joint or bone pain.
It causes sustained pain that lasts hours, days, or up to several weeks. Chronic pancreatitis is a long-term condition in which the pancreas is not necessarily persistently inflamed, but has been damaged by past inflammation.
It's been described as a burning or shooting pain which comes and goes, but can last for several hours or days, in some cases. Some people also experience symptoms of nausea and vomiting during the pain. As chronic pancreatitis progresses, the painful episodes may become more frequent and severe.
Some describe it as 'gnawing', 'grinding' or 'toothache'. It is usually worse after food and associated with post-prandial nausea and vomiting. Patients with chronic pancreatitis often avoid regular meals for fear of the pain associated with eating.
The symptom that most often brings the patient with pancreatitis to the clinic is abdominal pain. Pain is the only sensation that can be elicited from the pancreas [7]. Pancreatic pain is usually sensed as a severe epigastric discomfort that may radiate to the right and/or left upper quadrant and to the back [8].
What does the pain of pancreatitis feel like? Abdominal pain from pancreatitis may be moderate to severe and may radiate to your back. Acute pancreatitis tends to be more severe, with a penetrating quality. Your abdomen may feel tender to the touch.
Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis may vary, depending on which type you experience. Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back.
It may come and go in most people. The back pain tends to become more frequent or persistent when the disease advances.
To check for acute pancreatitis, the doctor will probably press on your belly area to see if it is tender and check for low blood pressure, low fever, and rapid pulse. To diagnose chronic pancreatitis, X-rays or imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI may show whether the pancreas is calcified.
Common medicines used for cancer pain include opioids or narcotics (the strongest pain relievers available), acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Pain caused by pancreatic cancer is often treated with long-acting oral morphine or other opioids.
Pain below the ribs can be caused by a variety of factors, including medical conditions related to the abdominal organs like gastritis or inflammation of the pancreas, musculoskeletal problems like muscle strain or costochondritis, or even referred pain from other organs like the heart, spleen, or kidneys.
In most cases, the first painkillers used are paracetamol, or anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen. But taking anti-inflammatory painkillers on a long-term basis can increase your risk of developing stomach ulcers, so you may be prescribed a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to protect against this.
The right side of your body contains the head of your pancreas. This narrow organ lies along the first segment of your small intestine, called the duodenum. The left side of your body houses the tail of your pancreas.
Pancreatitis has two stages — acute and chronic. Chronic pancreatitis is a more persistent condition. Most cases of acute pancreatitis are mild and involve a short hospital stay for the pancreas to recover. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly after the pancreas is damaged.
Pancreatic insufficiency is suspected in a patient who develops diabetes, upper abdominal pain and features of malabsorption. Bowel movements classically are bulky, loose and foul smelling; because of their oily nature, they may float in the toilet bowl, and are difficult to flush.
The differential diagnosis for pancreatitis includes an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, liver inflammation, small bowel obstruction, functional bowel disorders, abdominal aortic aneurysm, an obstruction of the intestine and pancreatic cancer.
Pain in the stomach, burning of the stomach, feeling of Nausea, vomiting loss of appetite are some of the symptoms of Gastritis. Abdominal pain (most common), fast heartbeat, fever, fast breathing, and low blood pressure are some symptoms of pancreatitis.
Tests and procedures used to diagnose pancreatitis include: Blood tests to look for elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes, along with white blood cells, kidney function and liver enzymes. Abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and pancreas inflammation.
It is commonly brought on by food consumption and so patients may be afraid to eat. It is also commonly severe through the night. The pain varies in nature, being gnawing, stabbing, aching or burning, but it tends to be constant and not to come and go in waves.
Abdominal pain — Abdominal pain is the most common clinical symptom in chronic pancreatitis. The pain is most commonly felt in the epigastric region and often radiates to the back. It may be worse when recumbent and patients may experience postprandial exacerbation.