Are you experiencing sharp upper right abdominal pain and researching the possible cause for your symptoms? Well, gall bladder disease is a possibility. In this health blurb you’ll find general information as to the causes and symptoms for gallbladder problems.
Let’s start with how the gallbladder is involved in promoting good health. Your gallbladder is a small sac shaped organ located adjacent to the liver and attached to it via a bile duct. This duct is the means for which the gallbladder collects bile produced by the liver. Once collected, some of the bile’s water and electrolytes are absorbed out, causing it to become more concentrated. This higher concentrated bile remains in the gall bladder until signaled to contract, which causes it to dump its contents into the small intestine. The gallbladder’s smooth muscles are stimulated to contract upon the initial detection of fats in your small intestine. This presence of bile is vital because it contains constituents that assist in the digestion and absorption of fats.
Gallbladder disease is caused by some problem that impedes the free flow of bile. Gall bladder problems frequently involve an obstruction, abnormal muscle contraction or bile consistency that creates sluggish flow. Health conditions that can cause these problems are:
- infection
- inflammation
- muscle spasm
- gallstones, bile ducts stones
- weak or uncoordinated muscle contractions
- cholesterol, bilirubin bile constituent imbalance
Gallstones that obstruct bile flow is the most common cause of gall bladder disease. Generally, gallstones form because a constituent of bile is in excess, typically cholesterol or bilirubin (waste of hemoglobin breakdown).
Certain health conditions and circumstances can increase your risk for developing gallbladder problems, especially stones, for example:
- aging
- obesity
- genetics
- diabetes
- cirrhosis
- pregnancy
- thalassemia
- Crohn’s disease
- bariatric surgery
- fatty liver disease
- sickle cell disease
- metabolic syndrome
- rapid, dramatic weight fluctuations
- estrogen ~ birth control, hormone replacement
Gallbladder problem symptoms include:
- bloating
- indigestion
- mild jaundice
- nausea & vomiting
- fatty food intolerance
- upper right abdominal pain
- referred pain in back, right shoulder
Not everyone with gallbladder disease experience noticeable symptoms. Gall bladder infection or obstruction problems can lead to very severe symptoms requiring emergency health care assistance.
Upper abdominal pain or digestive type symptoms can be caused by a variety of health conditions, many unrelated to the gallbladder, for instance:
- ulcer
- GERD
- pleurisy
- gastritis
- hepatitis
- liver cyst
- acid reflux
- cholangitis
- pneumonia
- pericarditis
- liver disease
- liver abscess
- food allergies
- collapsed lung
- gluten intolerance
- gallbladder cancer
- pancreatic problems
- intestinal obstruction
- anti-inflammatory drug reaction
- severe stress causing smooth muscle spasms
Therefore, it’s important for other potential causes of your symptoms be ruled out before your gall bladder is taken out.