Gall Bladder & Bile Duct Diseases
Cholecystitis is the most common type of gallbladder disease. It presents itself as either an acute or chronic inflammation of the gallbladder. Acute cholecystitis. Acute cholecystitis is generally caused by gallstones. But it may also be the result of tumors or various other illnesses. Symptoms of gallbladder problems include: Pain in the mid- or upper-right section of the abdomen: Most of the time, gallbladder pain comes and goes. Nausea or vomiting: Any gallbladder problem may cause nausea or vomiting. Fever or shaking chill: This signals an infection in the body. Causes. The most common cause of gallbladder disease is gallstones, which are crystals that form inside the gallbladder as a result of too much cholesterol (cholesterol gallstones) or bilirubin (pigment gallstones). Besides the potential to cause abdominal discomfort, complications may occur as a result of gallstones Symptoms of a gallbladder problem Gallbladder conditions share similar symptoms. These include: Pain The most common symptom of a gallbladder problem is pain. This pain usually occurs in the mid- to upper-right section of your abdomen. It can be mild and intermittent, or it can be quite severe and frequent. In some cases, the pain can begin to radiate to other areas of the body, including the back and chest. Nausea or vomiting Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of all types of gallbladder problems. However, only chronic gallbladder disease may cause digestive problems, such as acid reflux and gas. Fever or chills Chills or an unexplained fever may signal that you have an infection. If you have an infection, you need treatment before it worsens and becomes dangerous. The infection can become life-threatening if it spreads to other parts of the body. Chronic diarrhea Having more than four bowel movements per day for at least three months may be a sign of chronic gallbladder disease. Jaundice Yellow-tinted skin, or jaundice, may be a sign of a block or stone in the common bile duct. The common bile duct is the channel that leads from the gallbladder to the small intestine.
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Unusual stools or urine Lighter-colored stools and dark urine are possible signs of a common bile duct block. Potential gallbladder problems Any disease that affects your gallbladder is considered a gallbladder disease. The following conditions are all gallbladder diseases. Inflammation of the gallbladder Inflammation of the gallbladder is called cholecystitis. It can be either acute (short-term), or chronic (long-term). Chronic inflammation is the result of several acute cholecystitis attacks. Inflammation may eventually damage the gallbladder, making it lose its ability to function correctly. Gallstones Gallstones are small, hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder. These deposits can develop and go undetected for years. In fact, many people have gallstones and aren’t aware of them. They eventually cause problems, including inflammation, infection, and pain. Gallstones typically cause acute cholecystitis. Gallstones are usually very small, no more than a few millimeters wide. However, they can grow to several centimeters. Some people develop only one gallstone, while others develop several. As the gallstones grow in size, they can begin to block the channels that lead out of the gallbladder. Most gallstones are formed from cholesterol found in the gallbladder’s bile. Another type of gallstone, a pigment stone, is formed from calcium bilirubinate. Calcium bilirubinate is a chemical that’s produced when the body breaks down red blood cells. This type of stone is rarer. Explore this interactive 3-D diagram to learn more about the gallbladder and gallstones. Bile flows from your liver into your gallbladder, where it’s held until needed during the digestion of food. When you eat, your gallbladder releases bile into the bile duct, where it’s carried to the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum) to help break down fat in food.