Pancreatitis

Key facts Pancreatitis is inflammation of your pancreas that is usually mild, but if severe, can be life threatening. In acute (sudden onset) pancreatitis you may have sudden, severe, upper abdominal (tummy) pain spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting. In chronic (ongoing) pancreatitis you may have longstanding mid-abdominal pain. The two most common causes of pancreatitis are drinking too much alcohol and having gallstones. If you have acute pancreatitis, you’ll usually need treatment in hospital, while with chronic pancreatitis you can usually stay home for treatment. What is pancreatitis? Pancreatitis is the inflammation of your pancreas. The pancreas is an