2 of 15Lower abdominal pain is often a concerning symptom, particularly in women due to the reproductive organs located in the pelvis. It is important to remember that abdominal pain can be classified as visceral or referred, meaning the source of the pain may originate from a different area than where the discomfort is felt. It may happen in pancreatitis.
Visceral pain arises from receptors in the muscular and mucous membranes of tubular organs, the mesentery, and the surfaces of serous membranes. These receptors usually react to the stretching of the intestine when it becomes distended or to stretching or torsion of the mesentery. Pain that lasts for several days is often present with pancreatitis.
Painful symptoms of the pancreas depend on the disease affecting this organ. The pain can be sharp, paroxysmal, piercing, or burning. It can be momentary, but it can also last for several hours or be constant. It can give the feeling of a tight noose tightening around the upper abdomen or radiate along the spine, to various parts of the back, which is why it can be challenging to localize. The pain can appear only after a meal or after drinking alcohol, and it can also intensify when lying on your back, but this is not the rule. The discomfort can be so intense that it does not subside despite taking painkillers.
