How to Diagnose Gall Stones

Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center report that nearly everyone has gallstones--balls of congealed cholesterol in the gall bladder--but only a few of us actually experience pain because of them. Most gallstones don't cause any pain. And if they don't, then there is no need to remove them. Diagnosing gallstones is fairly straightforward process, but it is difficult to do at home. It is possible to observe symptoms of gallstones that you can relay to your health care provider who will then take the next step in diagnosing them. Gall bladder removal is a very common surgery that is almost always done laparascopically with few side effects.

Things You'll Need

• Blood sample
• Ultrasound machine

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Instructions

How to diagnose gallstones

• 1

  Note where you feel pain, if it came on suddenly and if it feels like a sharp pain or a dull ache. Also note if the pain occurred with nausea, vomiting or a feeling of being bloated. Gallstones usually cause a severe steady ache that doesn't usually feel like a stabbing pain. It is sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting and a feeling of being bloated that does not relieve when you pass gas. It is difficult to get comfortable during a gall bladder attack. Most people say gall bladder pain is the most serious, unrelenting pain they have ever felt and while it is usually felt on the upper right side of the abdomen, it can also be felt in the back or under the breastbone, mimicking a heart attack.

• 2

  Check to see if your gall bladder is tender. Chronic gall bladder disease can go on for years with milder attacks that come and go quickly, but will eventually increase in duration and severity. Place your fingers on the right side of your body near the top of the ribcage about six inches from where it separates from the sternum and press firmly. If you feel pain it's likely that your gallbladder is inflamed. Your pain may also increase with taking a deep breath.

• 3

  Note when your pain occurs. Gallstones typically get stuck in the bile ducts when the gall bladder is pushing out bile to help metabolize a fatty meal. If your pain occurs after a high fat meal gallstones can be suspected. Gall bladder attacks can last from 10 minutes to several days. The longer an attack the higher the risk for infection becomes. Even a mild gall bladder attack that is painful for more than five hours needs to be evaluated by a physician.

• 4

  Go to the hospital if your pain is acute. An ultrasound is needed to definitively diagnose gallstones which, when stuck, can easily inflame the gallbladder and the pancreas require emergency surgery. Some doctors may also order a blood test to see if liver enzymes are elevated, which is also a sign that your gallstones are causing infection and needs to be removed.