I have a dull ache in my mid left side. It goes around into my back. It sometimes feels like a pinching that you may get after running a long race. Or wearing tight clothing. I have had it for a couple months now. It comes and goes and I ve been getting it more frequently now on a daily basis. I m concerned as I do have a narrowed pancreas due to a severe case of salmonella poisoning as a child. Cancer was ruled out. They said that I ve obviously been able to live with narrowing with no problems. I am now 53 years old. Please advise.
Ok, first it can be easily evaluated if the pancreas is still irritated with some simple cheap blood work (pancreatic enzymes). If they are not elevated then other cases of pain have to be considered. If they are elevated it gets... tricky. Lowering the pancreas work load helps. This is done by changing the diet but mostly by taking pancreatic enzymes with meals (they car very cheap). Sometimes an imaging study will show a correctable problem with the pancreas, but this is rare.