|  | Conditions Treatments | Digestive Health

About Chronic Gall Bladder Pain

Your gallbladder contains digestive fluid that flows into the small intestine. This fluid, or bile, can form hardened deposits called gallstones, which cause great pain. The stones may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Treatment could mean removal of the gallbladder if symptoms are severe.

  1. Symptoms

    • If you have gallstones, you may have no symptoms. But if a gallstone is stuck in a bile duct and causes a blockage, pain will result. Symptoms of a blocked bile duct include a rapid, intensifying pain in the upper right portion or center of your stomach, pain between your shoulder blades and pain in your right shoulder. This pain can last from a few minutes to a few hours. Seek immediate medical care if your skin or whites of your eyes turn yellow, you develop a high fever or have intense abdominal pain.

    Diagnosis

    • Your physician will order a CAT scan or MRI of your gallbladder to look for gallstones. He may also order blood tests to check for jaundice, infection or pancreatitis, which can occur from blocked bile ducts.

    Medications

    • Medications dissolve the gallstones and reduce gallbladder pain. The medication Urso works by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the bile, which in turn dissolves the cholesterol in the gallstones. This medication only works on cholesterol gallstones and those that are smaller than 1.5 cm in diameter. This type of treatment may take one to two years to dissolve the gallstones, and gallstones can recur after treatment is stopped.

    Surgery

    • Gallbladder pain can be relieved by removing the gallbladder. You do not need your gallbladder to live; if it's removed, bile will flow directly from your liver to the small intestine. Surgery may be performed with a laser through small punctures in the stomach wall. This type of surgery has less pain and faster recovery time. Removal of the gallbladder will not affect your ability to digest food.

    Other Remedies

    • Reducing your risk of gallstones will help prevent gallbladder pain. Eat a diet high in fiber that includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts. According to the Mayo Clinic, people who don't get enough vitamin C and E and calcium are at a higher risk of gallstones. Avoid losing weight rapidly as this can promote gallstone formation. Check with your doctor before changing your diet or adding supplements.

Digestive Health - Related Articles