Gallbladder Pain Symptoms

Gallbladder pain symptoms often occur several years after gallstones begin to form. This is why you could be living with a gallbladder disease or gallstones for many years without any incident at all.

Gallstones usually stay in the gallbladder or pass out without causing any problems. It may take a routine medical to discover that you have a gallbladder condition.

Once you do start to experience gallbladder pain symptoms it may take a while to determine the exact diagnosis. This is because many of the symptoms are rather vague and difficult to differentiate from similar complaints in people who do not have gallbladder disease.

Most people do not know where the gallbladder is located within the body or even what it does. The same could be said for many of our internal organs. So long as they continue to function normally we rarely give them any thought.

But when we start to experience some pain in a particular area, we want to know what it is and how we can stop it. Experiencing a steady gripping or gnawing pain in the upper right abdominal area near the rib cage that may or may not get worse when we breathe is usually when people discover their liver and their gallbladder.

The gallbladder is a very small organ that aids with digestion. It sits just beneath the liver and is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen to approximately the upper mid section of the abdomen.

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The function of the gallbladder is to store bile that is produced by the liver. When fatty foods enter the digestive tract, this bile is released from the gallbladder. The bile helps to digest the fats found in the foods we eat.

The main types of gallbladder disease are:

Gallstones located in the gallbladder (cholelithiasis)

Learn alternatives to gallbladder surgery here.

The most common of the gallbladder pain symptoms is biliary colic which is described as a steady intense pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The pain may be considered chest pain by some individuals and may or may not radiate into the back. The pain starts quickly and last 30 minutes and up to several hours. The pain may also be accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.

Inflammation in the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis)

This occurs when there is inflammation of the gallbladder, usually resulting from a gallstone blocking the flow of bile from the cystic duct. The blockage can cause swelling, intense pain and possible infection.

Typically people experience severe and constant abdominal pain that lasts more than 6 hours and up to several days. Pain may worsen when breathing in. Some people also experience pain behind the breast bone or pain that radiates out to the back or under the shoulder blades. Fever, nausea and vomiting may also be present.

If the stone falls back into the gallbladder or passes out the pain will subside.

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Dysfunctional gallbladder (chronic cholecystitis)

Chronic gallbladder disease is usually caused by repeated attacks of acute cholecystitis and involves swelling and inflammation of the gallbladder. Eventually the gallbladder loses the ability to perform its function.

People suffering from chronic cholecystitis most commonly complain of gas, abdominal discomfort or uneasiness after eating and nausea. Chronic diarrhea of 4 to 10 bowel movements every day lasting for at least 3 months is a common symptom of this condition.

Symptoms of Stones in the Common Bile Duct (Choledocholithiasis)

Sometimes gallstones will enter the bile duct leading from the liver, or occasionally, the duct leading to the pancreas. This condition is known as choledocholithiasis and can lead to more serious complications. Some of the symptoms will be very similar to those caused by gallstones in the gallbladder. Seek emergency medical treatment right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Yellowing of the skin and your eyes (jaundice)

• Dark colored urine

• Fever accompanied by chills, nausea and vomiting

• Severe pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen that does not go away

Learn alternatives to gallbladder surgery here.

Cancer of the gallbladder

Cancer of the gallbladder is extremely rare. People who are found to have cancer of the gallbladder almost always have gallstones and removing the gallbladder is the treatment. The gallbladder is considered a non-essential organ and humans can live without this organ. Usually some diet modification will be required after this type of surgery.

If you are experiencing any of these gallbladder pain symptoms it is important to seek medical attention. Always inform your health care practitioner of any natural remedies that you are engaging in and any supplements or over-the-counter drugs that you are using.

Go to Managing Pain from Gallbladder Pain Symptoms