Symptoms and Signs of Gallbladder Disease
Are you experiencing nausea and vomiting, chronic diarrhea, jaundice, or abnormal pain in the mid-to-upper right section of your abdomen? If so, you may have cause for concern as these are signs of gallbladder problems. And if you leave these gallbladder issues untreated, you can end up in severe pain or worse-require emergency gallbladder surgery.
The good thing, however, is that you can easily address these problems if you spot the signs of gallbladder problems early. In this article, we’ll cover signs of gallbladder disease and how to address any of the related health issues!
What is Your Gallbladder Exactly?
Your gallbladder is a tiny pear-shaped sac that ‘s located below your liver. Its main job is to store the bile your liver produces and passes it through a duct that pours it into your small intestine. Generally, your gallbladder doesn’t cause any problems, but if the flow of bile to your small intestine is blocked, it can create a variety of issues.
What are Common Gallbladder Problems?
Are you worried you may be experiencing gallbladder issues? Here are some of the common symptoms of a gallbladder problem:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Jaundice
- Fever or chills
- Unusual stool or urine
- Right sided belly pains
If you are dealing with any of these symptoms, it’s possible you may have a more serious gallbladder issue.
What are the Signs of Gallbladder Disease?
It’s important to know that gallbladder disease is a term used to describe a variety of conditions that affect your gallbladder. Here are the most common gallbladder diseases:
Gallstones
Gallstones are small, hard deposits that collect in your gallbladder. Most people don’t realize they have them, so they can go undetected for years. If you’re experiencing any inflammation, infections, or pain, it’s possible you may have gallstones.
These stones are very small, but they can grow to be several centimeters. As they grow, they block the channels that lead outside of your gallbladder. They can cause inflammation of the gallbladder called cholecystitis.
Here are the most common factors that can contribute to your risk of gallstones:
- Being overweight
- Being 60 or older
- Having diabetes
- Taking medications that contain estrogen
- Having a family history of gallstones
- Having Crohn’s disease
- Having liver diseases like cirrhosis
If you have any of these predispositions and are experiencing these symptoms, you should chat with your doctor to check if you have gallstones.
Acute Cholecystitis
Acute cholecystitis is an issue that’s usually caused by gallstones. It can also be caused by tumors and other illnesses though. This issue generally starts with pain in the upper right part of your abdomen and occurs after eating.
Here are some signs of gallbladder distress that may point to acute cholecystitis:
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Jaundice
If you experience multiple instances of acute cholecystitis, your gallbladder can shrink and no longer work properly. If this is the case, you’ll most likely need to get surgery to treat this issue.
Acalculous Gallbladder Disease
This disease is inflammation that occurs without any kind of gallstones. Here are some risk factors that can lead to this condition:
- Severe physical trauma
- Heart surgery
- Burns
- Autoimmune diseases
- Bacterial or viral illnesses
Even though there are no gallstones involved with this disease, the symptoms are similar. So if you’re experiencing those symptoms, check with your doctor so you can find out what’s going on.
Final Thoughts on Gallbladder Diseases
Gallbladder disease can be scary, but if you address it early on you have a great chance of a speedy recovery! If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms on this list, connect with a doctor to address any issues going on.
Are you or a loved one dealing with gallbladder disease or pancreatic issues? Have more questions? Contact us!