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Symptoms of Gallbladder Trouble

Several disorders affect the gallbladder and interfere with the normal drainage of bile into the upper part of the small intestine. Gallbladder disease with gallstones is the most common disorder. Although not all infections of the gallbladder are related to gallstones, but more than 90 percent of patients with a gallbladder infection have gallstones also.

  1. Cholecystitis

    • Cholecystitis is an acute infection in the gallbladder. The infection will cause pain, tenderness and a rigid upper right abdomen. Nausea and vomiting are also normal symptoms of an acute gallbladder infection.

    Gallstones

    • Gallstones form in the gallbladder and may block the flow of bile. Many people with gallstone have no idea they are there because they have no symptoms. These are referred to as "silent gallstones" and require no treatment.

    Gallstone Symptoms

    • Gallstones show signs of their presence after complications begin to occur. The most common symptom of a gallstone is pain, which generally comes on quickly and goes away again. These episodes are called "attacks" for that reason. The pain is often brought on by a meal high in fried or fatty foods. The attacks may be frequent or years may pass between attacks. The pain is excruciating and located in the upper right abdomen. Pain may also be felt in the back between the shoulder blades or under the right shoulder. This is called referred pain. The pain may last several hours.

    Additional Symptoms

    • Additional symptoms of gallstones are gas, indigestion, heart burn, burping, bloating and colic. Nausea, vomiting and a fever are also common symptoms of gallstones.

    Jaundice

    • In a small percentage of individuals, jaundice will occur with gallbladder disease. Jaundice gives the skin and whites of the eyes a yellow appearance. It normally is present when there is an obstruction of the common bile duct. The jaundice will normally be followed by itching of the skin.

    Changes in Urine and Stool

    • When an individual is having gallbladder problems, the urine takes on a dark color and stool becomes a gray or clay color.

    Vitamin Deficiency

    • Obstruction on the bile can cause an interference with fat soluble vitamins. These vitamins include A, D, E and K. The individual may experience symptoms from low levels of these vitamins in the blood.

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