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Pancreatitis - When To Call a Doctor
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
Call your doctor immediately if you have severe belly (abdominal) pain with vomiting that does not go away after a few hours, or mild to moderate pain that does not improve with home treatment after a couple of days. These symptoms may be caused by pancreatitis.
Watchful Waiting
Pancreatitis can be a severe, potentially
life-threatening illness. It is not appropriate to take a wait-and-see
approach, which is called watchful waiting, if you have severe pain in the
upper area 
of the abdomen that does not go away in a few hours.
Who To See
The following health professionals can diagnose and treat pancreatitis:
- Family medicine physician
- Internist
- Gastroenterologist (specialist in diseases of the digestive system)
- Nurse practitioner
- Physician assistant
- Surgeon
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 20, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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