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Signs & Symptoms of a Gallstone Attack

Gallstones are solid masses of cholesterol or calcium salts that form in the gallbladder. Your liver produces bile, and this fluid is stored in your gallbladder. The bile helps you digest fats in the small intestine. When you are eating, the gallbladder releases bile, and it is carried to the upper part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Gallstones may have no symptoms at all but others can experience severe pain with them.

  1. Causes

    • Most gallstones are formed from undissolved cholesterol. The cholesterol in the bile in your gallbladder has no relation to the cholesterol found in your bloodstream. If there aren't enough salts in the bile to dissolve the cholesterol, then crystals or stones will form. If the gallbladder does not empty completely, then the bile can become too concentrated and form small gallstones. This kind of gallstone condition can occur during pregnancy.

    Symptoms

    • Pain in the back between the shoulder blades, upper right abdominal pain, and nausea and vomiting are the most common symptoms of a gallstone attack. Chronic indigestion might be another symptom, but because this type of symptom could mean different medical conditions, it's wise to see your doctor and let her diagnose the problem.

    Those At Risk

    • Women between the ages of 20 and 60 are more likely to experience a gallstone attack than men. Anyone over the age of 60 is then more susceptible. Pregnant women, and women on birth control and hormone replacement therapy, are a higher risk. Obesity, rapid weight loss, fasting and a diet high in fats and sugar can also place you at risk for a gallstone attack.

    Treatment

    • A change in eating habits can help reduce the likelihood of gallstones forming. Being obese can set the stage for the formation of stones, so a healthy diet, along with moderate exercise, can help reduce gallstone attacks. (Such a plan will also improve your overall health.) If continuous attacks occur, your doctor might suggest removal of the gallbladder. The surgery is called cholecystectomy and has become a common treatment. People can live normally without a gallbladder and feel much better after having the surgery done.

    Warnings

    • If you feel you are experiencing a gallbladder attack and it is accompanied by a low-grade fever, sweating, chills, a yellowing of the color of your skin or whites of your eyes and clay-colored stools, seek medical attention immediately, as bile duct obstruction could be occurring.

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