5 March 2019 | A gallbladder attack can be a very painful, potentially dangerous medical condition. This article will help you understand the signs and symptoms of gallbladder attack and how it can be treated.

What is the gallbladder?

The gallbladder (gall bladder) is a sac that sits in the right upper abdomen, just below the liver, and stores bile (gall) produced by the liver. Bile is made up of water, cholesterol, bile salts, fats, proteins and bilirubin (a yellowish-brown pigment). If the liquid bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin, it can harden into gallstones.

What is cholecystitis?

• Cholecystitis (ko-luh-sis-TIE-tis) is inflammation of the gallbladder.
• The gallbladder’s job is to hold a digestive juice called bile. Bile is made in the liver. The gallbladder stores bile and pushes it into the small intestine where it is used to help digest food to help your body break down fats. But if the path (called the cystic duct) to your small intestine is blocked, bile gets trapped. That backup can irritate your gallbladder. That’s how cholecystitis happens.

What Causes It?

The most common cause of "cholecystitis" is gallstones, which are  tiny, hard “pebbles” made from fats, proteins, and minerals in your body. A gallbladder attack typically happens when gallstones block the bile duct or tube. This results in a bile buildup that can cause inflammation. Other causes of cholecystitis include bile duct problems, tumors, serious illness and certain infections.

Complications

A gallbladder attack can lead to other complications, which would cause other symptoms. For example, it can trigger liver problems. This happens because a blockage in the duct can back up bile in the liver. This may set off jaundice — yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes.

Sometimes gallstones can block the way to the pancreas. The pancreas also makes digestive juices that help you break down food. A blockage can lead to a complication called gallstone pancreatitis. Symptoms are similar to a gallbladder attack. You may also have pain in the upper left abdomen.

Signs and symptoms

A gallbladder attack usually happens after you eat a large meal. This occurs because your body makes more bile when you eat fatty foods. You’re more likely to have an attack in the evening.

If you’ve had a gallbladder attack, you’re at higher risk of having another one. Pain from a gallbladder attack typically differs from other kinds of stomach pain. You may have: sudden and sharp pain that lasts for minutes to hours, dull or cramping pain that worsens quickly in the upper right part of your abdomen, sharp pain in the middle of your abdomen, just below the breastbone, intense pain that makes it difficult to sit still, pain that doesn’t worsen or change when you move, abdominal tenderness

Pain from a gallbladder attack may spread from the abdomen to the back between your shoulder blades and right shoulder. You may also have other symptoms of a gallbladder attack, like: nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, skin and eye yellowing, dark or tea-colored urine and light or clay-colored bowel movements.

When to see a doctor?

Only about one-third of people with gallstones will have a gallstone attack or serious symptoms. A gallbladder attack is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. You may need treatment to prevent complications. Don’t ignore the pain, and don’t try to self-medicate with over-the-counter painkillers. Seek help from a doctor right away if you have any of these signs of a gallbladder attack:

• intense pain
• high fever
• chills
• skin yellowing
• yellowing of the whites of your eyes

CIH's Surgery Department

CIH's Surgery Department is specialized in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery. Most of the treatment is gentle surgery, less invasive surgery such as: endoscopic surgery for stomach, colon, liver, gallbladder diseases and disorders. Treatment of hemorrhoids with the Longo technique, etc. To diagnose and treat certain problems of the biliary or pancreatic ductal systems, it is possible to use a technique that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy called Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). For small goiters, surgery can be performed Laparoscopic Thyroid Surgery (a Thyroid Surgery Performed without Neck Incision, Scar).

Managed by a team of highly-qualified medical professionals and care staff with internationally standardized work procedures, CIH's Surgery Department is committed to bringing efficiency and comfort to our patient and clients.