Your doctor will take a medical history, ask about your drinking history, and draw blood to test for pancreatic enzymes. You may also need to take pancreas function tests to determine the loss of pancreatic enzymes, a fecal fat collection test for evidence of malabsorption, and an ultrasound, CT scan or other test to determine pancreas damage. If you have unexplained weight loss that lasts more than a few weeks, call your doctor. This can be a warning sign of pancreatic cancer. Most cases of acute pancreatitis are mild and involve a short hospital stay to help heal the pancreas.
Chronic pancreatitis is a much more persistent condition, and occurs more often in men than women.
Your doctor will focus treatment on your nutritional and metabolic needs and on relieving your pain. Mild pain can be treated with analgesics. If the cause of acute pancreatitis is gallstones, you may have to have your gallbladder removed to prevent further attacks. It involves passage of a long, narrow tube called an endoscope used to put X-ray contrast dye into the bile and pancreas ducts. In severe cases, surgery will be required to drain the pancreatic duct or to remove part of the pancreas.