5 Tense & Tender Abdomen
Along with severe abdominal pain, patients may also experience a tense and tender abdomen. The cause of tenderness is the inflamed pancreas. The abdominal muscles become tense in order to guard the underlying organ by acting as a wall to prevent pain. It is a defense mechanism of the body to protect a diseased organ. Upon touching the abdomen, the patient feels pain and the abdomen feels rigid.
6 Rapid Pulse
Another salient symptom of acute pancreatitis is a rapid pulse. A normal pulse rate is between 60-100 beats per minute. Patients of acute pancreatitis may have a pulse rate of over 100. This is due to various inflammatory chemical changes in the body that makes the heart beat faster.
