4 Symptoms/Effects of Gallbladder Pain

The gallbladder is a tiny organ situated under your liver. The gallbladder, a 4-inch organ that resembles the shape of a pear, is a tiny part of our body. The location of the gallbladder is right below your liver and at the upper side of your stomach. You only notice it when your gallbladder pain starts. There could be many reasons for your gallbladder to hurt. This article enlightens us about the same and educates us about the symptoms of gallbladder pain. 

The principal function of the gallbladder is to store the bile juice, which is an amalgamation of fats, cholesterol, and other fluids. The liver secretes this bile juice. It helps break fats and absorb vitamins in your small intestine. The bile is transferred from the gallbladder to the small intestine for digestion through tube-like structures called ducts.

Source: https://pixabay.com/vectors/digestion-intestine-digestive-oral-303364/

Any blockage or obstruction in these bile ducts can trigger pains in the upper right side of your abdomen. The most common reason for this obstruction is gallbladder stone.

What are the causes of gallbladder pain?

• Gallbladder stones

Gallbladder stones or gallstones are pebbles or stones that obstruct the path of bile in the bile duct. It causes blockage in the flow of bile, resulting in gallbladder pain. These gallbladder stones are not actual stones but stone-like structures made of protein, minerals, and fats. This pain usually goes away as the stone starts moving.

Gallbladder stones or gallstones are usually of 2 types:

• Cholesterol gallstone

As the name indicates, these stones consist of cholesterol and fats. These stones are usually white or yellow.

• Pigment gallstone

Too much bilirubin in your bile triggers this type of stone. This bilirubin is responsible for the color red of your red blood cells. Hence, these stones are black or dark brown in color.

• Perforated gallbladder

This situation happens when there is a hole in the outer surface of your organ. It can occur over time due to wear and tear, which is rare but can be deadly. Some symptoms of the perforated gallbladder are nausea, vomiting, high fever, etc. You would need immediate medical assistance and surgery in this situation.

• Gallbladder cholecystitis

It simply means inflammation in the gallbladder happening due to several reasons such as illness, infection, tumor, trauma, etc. Sometimes, due to gallstones, the bile builds up and leads to inflammation. Pain in the stomach or area above your belly, back, and right shoulder blade are some symptoms of the infection. Your doctor may or may not suggest surgery, depending on the severity of the disease.

• Gallbladder cancer

This rare and hard-to-detect disease makes itself known when cancer has grown in your body. Until then, you may not have any symptoms. Common symptoms include pain in the abdomen, stomach bloating, weight loss, and jaundice.

Symptoms and effects of gallbladder pain

• Intense pain

There is intense pain in your stomach, especially the upper right part of your abdomen. This pain can be severe and extreme, spreading from your stomach to other body parts such as your back and shoulders.

Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/disease-the-medicine-health-4392164/

This pain or ache is different from other stomach aches. This ache is dull and cramping, which can last for minutes or hours. The intense pain makes it difficult for you to stay still. And the intensity of the pain does not change due to any movements. Your abdomen also becomes very tender.  

• Vomiting and nausea

The most common symptoms that point to problems relating to the gallbladder are vomit and nausea. Often referred to as throwing up, vomiting is the process of throwing or spitting content out of your body through your mouth. Nausea is experiencing the feeling of throwing up without actually spitting the contents out. Usually, nausea and vomiting are triggered when you have had a large meal containing lots of fats. Your body makes more bile for absorbing the fatty food and hence can lead to vomits. Some digestive complications, acid reflux, GERD, and acid indigestion indicate severe and chronic gallbladder problems.

• Fever and jaundice

The blockage in the common bile duct from the gallbladder to the small intestine can lead to bile rising in the liver. It can trigger jaundice or yellow-tinted skin, which turns your body yellow and your eyes white. Fever or chills for unexplainable reasons point to inner infection or problem. At times you also feel radiating pain and abdominal tenderness along with fever signaling gallbladder inflammation. There is an urgent need to heal such a fever before it worsens and spreads to other parts of the body.

• Chronic diarrhea and unusual bowel movement

Chronic diarrhea activated due to persistent and long-term gallbladder problems can be dangerous. A person having more than four bowel movements every day for three or more months, along with other symptoms, shows the signs of severe gallbladder disease. Further, the color of the stools is lighter than usual and resembles that of clay. Also, the urine is very dark, almost the color of tea. All these shows there is a problem with the gallbladder, and the common bile duct is blocked.

What can you do to ease the symptoms? 

Doctors often give you oral drugs and pain medication to stop the intense pain and dissolve the stone. It is time-consuming, with increased chances of relapse. Some anti-nausea medicines can also help to ease the nausea symptoms.

Some suggested lifestyle changes to tackle this problem:

• Stick to a healthy diet
• Exercise at least for 30 minutes a day
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Cut down on sugar and carbs
• Eat more fibrous food to lower the cholesterol level

Conclusion

Though rarely fatal, gallbladder pain can disturb your daily functioning. If ignored continuously, it can worsen, ultimately leading to deadly outcomes. So consult a doctor and seek his assistance if you have any of the symptoms for a lasting period. Some immediate signs that indicate the need for medical aid are jaundice for an expanded period and intense abdominal pain for more than 5 hours. Also, pale bowel movements and dark urine accompanied by severe fever and chills signal immediate medical attention.