20 signs your pancreas is functioning badly

Blurred vision
Abdominal pain
Back pain
Nausea and vomiting
High blood pressure
Cold and moist skin
Changes in your stool
Diarrhea and constipation
Loss of appetite and weight change
Developing diabetes late in life
Unusual thirst
Frequent urination
Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
Blurred vision
Frequent or recurring infections
Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
Trouble getting or maintaining an erection

Blurred vision

This pear-shaped organ may be small—it weighs around 80 grams (three ounces)—but it is mighty when it comes to keeping us healthy. Located in the upper abdomen, the pancreas produces important digestive enzymes and secretes hormones that are vital for metabolizing sugar. No wonder so much can go wrong when your pancreas isn’t working the way it should.

Abdominal pain

Pain in your abdomen can be a sign of pancreatitis, an acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas. When large tumours press against nearby organs, abdominal pain can also be a symptom of pancreatic cancer, which is characterized by abnormal cell growth in the pancreas.

Back pain

Pain in your back is also associated with pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In the case of the latter, the pain may worsen when lying down, or three to four hours after eating.

Fever

An unusually high body temperature can also be a symptom of pancreatitis, which occurs when pancreatic enzymes escape into the tissues of the pancreas, causing irritation, edema, and congestion of the blood vessels.

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of both pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, which has been linked to smoking and obesity.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure can also be a sign of pancreatitis, which is most commonly caused by excessive alcohol intake, trauma, and gallstones blocking pancreatic ducts.

Cold and moist skin

Clammy skin and a low body temperature can be signs of severe pancreatitis, which occurs when the condition causes infection, bleeding, and formation of pus in the organ, as well as necrosis of pancreatic tissue.

Jaundice

Marked by a yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark-coloured urine and light-coloured or greasy stools, jaundice becomes a symptom of pancreatic cancer when a tumour blocks the bile duct.

Changes in your stool

Blockage of the bile duct caused by pancreatic cancer can cause stools to become pale or clay-coloured; give off an odd, strong smell; or become more buoyant owing to a higher fat content.

Usually accompanied by symptoms like abdominal pain or jaundice, itchy skin can be a sign of pancreatic cancers, 95 per cent of which develop from the part of the pancreas that helps digest fats and proteins by secreting enzymes.

Diarrhea and constipation

Because it prevents the nutrients in food from being absorbed properly, pancreatic cancer can cause diarrhea and constipation, especially in patients taking pain medications.

Loss of appetite and weight change

Along with abdominal pain, a loss of appetite and unintended weight loss are usually among the first symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Losing or gaining weight, meanwhile, are among the symptoms of diabetes.

Developing diabetes late in life

Diabetes can arise when pancreatic cancer impedes the organ’s ability to produce insulin, a hormone that regulates levels of sugar in the blood.

Unusual thirst

Unusual thirst is another symptom of diabetes, which comes in two types. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes, which is much more common, develops when not enough insulin is being made in the pancreas, and when your body isn’t able to use the insulin it makes.

Frequent urination

As with many of the symptoms on this list, frequent urination is a symptom of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Research shows that your genes or the environment may be responsible for triggering Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by obesity, ethnic background, a family history of Type 2 diabetes, and other environmental factors.

Extreme fatigue or lack of energy

When diabetes reduces the amount of insulin produced by your pancreas, or stops production entirely, the sugar in your blood isn’t able to enter the cells where it should get used for energy.

Blurred vision

Blurred vision is another symptom of diabetes. The signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes may suddenly appear without warning, at which point you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Frequent or recurring infections

Frequent or recurring infections such as gums, skin, or vaginal infections are possible signs of diabetes. But keep in mind that Type 2 diabetes may yield no symptoms at all. If you don’t have symptoms but are over the age of 40, you should get checked.

Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal

Slow-healing cuts and bruises are also signs of diabetes. The elevated blood-sugar levels caused by diabetes can damage your body’s blood vessels, which in turn can prevent your nerves and organs from functioning properly.