Where Is The Pancreas Located In Our Body – The pancreas is a glandular organ in the abdomen. It is part of the digestive system. It produces insulin and secretes fluid that helps break down food. Problems with the pancreas can lead to diabetes, pancreatitis and other health problems.

The pancreas secretes enzymes, or digestive juices, into the small intestine. There, the food that has left the stomach continues to break down. The pancreas also produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream, where it regulates the body’s glucose or sugar level.

Where Is The Pancreas Located In Our Body

Problems with insulin control can lead to secondary diabetes, and inflammation of the pancreas can lead to pancreatitis. Noncancerous and malignant tissue can also grow on the pancreas.

Anatomy Of Esophagus, Liver, Stomach, Pancreas And Spleen

The largest part is located on the right side of the abdomen, where the stomach attaches to the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. The narrow part of the pancreas extends to the left side of the abdomen next to the spleen.

A duct runs the length of the pancreas and connects to the organ at various points. At the end, this duct joins a common bile duct that runs from the liver. This common pathway supplies bile to the duodenum.

About 95% of the pancreas is exocrine tissue. Exocrine tissue secretes substances into other tissues and body parts than the bloodstream.

. Endocrine tissue secretes substances into the bloodstream. These grape-like cell clusters produce important hormones that regulate pancreatic secretions and control blood sugar.

Pancreas: Location, Function, And Associated Diseases

The exocrine tissues secrete a clear, watery, alkaline juice into the common bile duct and, ultimately, the duodenum. This substance contains several enzymes that break down food into small molecules. The intestines can then absorb these smaller molecules.

The endocrine tissue secretes insulin and other hormones into the bloodstream. Pancreatic beta cells release insulin when blood sugar levels rise.

Insulin moves glucose from the blood into muscles and other tissues for use as energy. Insulin also helps the liver absorb glucose, storing it as glycogen in case the body needs energy during stress or exercise. When blood sugar drops, alpha cells release the hormone glucagon.

Glucagon triggers the breakdown of glycogen into glucose in the liver. The glucose then enters the bloodstream, bringing blood sugar levels back to normal.

Anatomy Model Pancreas Gallbladder Spleen

For example, if the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes, the digestive system will not absorb nutrients as intended. This can lead to weight loss and diarrhea.

Inflammation can occur when gallstones or tumors block the main duct of the pancreas. Pancreatic juices will accumulate in the pancreas, causing damage. The pancreas can even begin to digest.

Pancreatitis can occur as a result of mumps, gallstones, trauma, and the use of alcohol, steroids and drugs.

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden, rapid inflammation of the organ. The condition is rare, but it needs immediate medical attention.

Pancreas: Anatomy, Functions, Blood Supply, Innervation

It is a progressive condition that can lead to permanent damage. The person may experience pain, diarrhea, malnutrition, or diabetes. Treatment aims to control pain to replace lost enzymes.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may not appear until the cancer is in the advanced stages. By then it may be too late for successful treatment. The outlook for pancreatic cancer tends to be poor. The 5-year survival rate is

For localized pancreatic cancer. This rate drops to 3% if the cancer is present in other organs. The overall 5-year survival rate is 11%.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas, so that they can no longer produce insulin. The exact cause remains unknown, but it may be due to genetic and environmental factors, including viruses.

Pancreas Injuries & Home Care

Process glucose adequately. This happens when cells can’t use the insulin that the pancreas makes properly, or the pancreas can’t make enough insulin. As a result, the body can no longer control blood glucose levels.

The pancreas is a large gland that plays a vital role in the digestive system. It secretes enzymes that help break down food and produce insulin, which is essential for managing blood sugar.

Inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis. This can lead to pain, discomfort, and many health complications.

Avoiding smoking and excessive drinking and eating a balanced, healthy diet are the best ways to maintain pancreatic health.

Pancreatic Cancer Is Almost Impossible To Detect Early

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources – including studies, scientific references, and statistics – within each article and also list them in the source section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy. Your pancreas is a small pear-shaped gland, about the size of your fist. It is located behind your stomach, under the liver, and next to the small intestine. The pancreas plays a vital role in keeping you healthy by helping you digest your food and maintain healthy blood sugar (glucose) levels. Learn more about your pancreas and conditions that can affect it.

Your pancreas produces enzymes that help you digest your food. These digestive enzymes travel from the pancreas and empty into the small intestine – specifically the duodenum – via the pancreatic duct. This is the same area where bile from the liver enters the digestive system. Both help break down the fats in the food and drinks you consume.

The pancreas produces several hormones that affect appetite and metabolism. Chief among them are insulin and glucagon which work together to control blood sugar (glucose) levels. When you consume sugars, the pancreas releases insulin to lower your blood sugar levels. Glucagon is released to raise blood sugar levels when they drop too low. Together, these two hormones work to maintain a constant safe blood sugar level, regardless of what you consume. When your body can no longer regulate blood sugar levels, diabetes can occur. There are three types of diabetes.

Overtime, untreated high blood sugar levels from type 1 or type 2 diabetes can damage organs and tissues and cause other health problems. It is important to manage your diabetes with diet, exercise, medication and insulin therapy according to your treatment plan. Researchers are also working on pancreas transplants.

What Does The Pancreas Do?

In addition to diabetes, your pancreas can be affected by other conditions or diseases, including pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed. It can be acute, meaning it comes on suddenly, or chronic, meaning it doesn’t go away and gets worse over time. Acute pancreatitis is usually caused by gallstones or excessive alcohol consumption. Severe cases can be life-threatening. Chronic pancreatitis can run in families, but it can also be caused by blockages in the channel where pancreatic enzymes leave the pancreas. It can also be triggered by very high triglyceride levels, or by an autoimmune response – when your body starts attacking the cells in the pancreas. People with chronic pancreatitis are advised to stop consuming alcohol to reduce the severity and slow the disease progression.

Pancreatic cancer is not common. It accounts for about 3% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, affecting about 57,000 people in the US each year. Because there are no symptoms in the early stages, pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed in advanced stages, when it is much more difficult to treat. Even if detected early, the 5-year survival rate, the number of people who survive five years after diagnosis, is only 34%.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are related to constantly elevated levels of sugar in your blood. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes are:

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (epi)

Symptoms for type 2 diabetes are similar, but may also include a tingling or pain in your feet or hands.

Chronic pancreatitis can cause the same abdominal pain, as well as unintentional weight loss, and smelly, greasy bowel movements.

Not all pancreas-related conditions are preventable, such as type 1 diabetes. However, you can minimize your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer by: maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet, reducing your sugar and fat intake , and avoiding drinking too much alcohol. Maintaining a healthy weight can also help keep type 2 diabetes at bay.

Marijke Vroomen Durning, RN, has been writing health information for the past 20 years. She has extensive experience writing about health issues such as sepsis, cancer, mental health issues and women’s health. She is also the author of the book Just the Right Dose: Your Smart Guide to Prescription Medications and How to Take Them Safely.

Digestive System Processes

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