Gallbladder Pain

Gallbladder pain can be frightening. There are several common types of gallbladder pain,: gallstones and gallbladder inflammation, which is commonly called a gallbladder attack.

This type of gallbladder pain occurs when excess cholesterol in the gallbladder hardens into pebble-like shapes called gallstones. They feel like gravel stones. They can be very small, no bigger than a grain of sand. But they can also be as large as a golf ball.

Gallstones trigger upper right abdomen pain which may also be felt in the chest, near the bottom of the ribcage. Gallstones also cause inflammation as they move along the biliary duct toward the small intestine.

Someone with gallstones may also experience

chills,
clay-colored stools,
fever,
heartburn,
nausea,
shaking,
vomiting,
yellowing of the whites of the eyes,
yellowish skin color.

Gallbladder attack

A gallbladder attack can occur whenever the gallbladder cannot empty adequately for any reason. too much bile accumulates in the gallbladder and it becomes swollen and inflamed. This is known as cholecystitis.

The most common symptom of cholecystitis is severe pain in the upper right side of the chest. A gallbladder attack can also cause pain in the upper back between the shoulder blades.

Gallbladder attacks are most likely after you've eaten a big meal that includes a lot of rich fatty foods that are high in cholesterol. Your gallbladder goes into "overload," and that's when the pain begins.

Chocolate, cheese and pastries have also been known to cause gallbladder pain.

Who's at risk for gallbladder pain?

The following list is made up of the most typical risk factors for gallbladder pain.

The following groups are most likely to experience some form of gallbladder problem or disease:

anyone taking cholesterol medications
anyone undergoing long-term intravenous nutrition
anyone who has cirrhosis,
anyone who has passed their 60th birthday
anyone with a family history of gallstones
individuals on crash diets or quick weight loss programs
individuals who are obese
individuals who have diabetes
individuals who have had surgery for peptic ulcers
women who are pregnant
women who are taking birth control pills
women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy,

Avoiding gallbladder pain

The best way to avoid gallbladder pain is to eat healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables that have a lot of fiber. Your body already makes all the cholesterol it needs. Eating fatty foods that are high in cholesterol is just likely to cause a gallbladder problem when the cholesterol accumulates.