Your gallbladder, a small sac nestled under your liver, stores bile, which is essential for digesting fats. If a bile duct gets blocked or infected, it can cause painful inflammation. This is often due to gallstones, which are hard deposits made of cholesterol, bilirubin, and calcium.
These gallstones can form in the cystic duct, which connects your gallbladder to the bile duct leading to your small intestine. While gallstones might not always cause symptoms, they can cause pain during an attack. Sometimes, bile gets clogged, leading to similar issues, and inflammation can even occur without gallstones! The sudden, severe pain from a gallbladder attack might require immediate hospital care.
In this article, we’ll explore what your gallbladder does, what causes gallbladder attacks, what the symptoms are, what the key risk factors are, and how your diet might be linked to your gallbladder health.
Abdominal Pain
Imagine a sudden, intense pain in your upper abdomen, just below your breastbone, often on the right side. That’s a classic sign of a gallbladder attack. This pain, known as biliary colic, can last for hours and feels constant, unaffected by things like urinating or passing gas. Fatty foods often trigger it, and it can strike at any time, even when you’re sleeping. While these episodes might be infrequent, with months between them, it’s a warning sign you shouldn’t ignore. If you experience this, a blood test might reveal elevated liver enzymes, hinting at a possible blockage.
Indigestion
Gallstones can disrupt your digestion by reducing the amount of bile reaching your digestive tract. This often leads to indigestion, with complaints of gas and discomfort after meals. You might also experience biliary pain around your rib cage, sometimes radiating to your shoulder and upper back. It’s easy to mistake this for heartburn, which is why it’s crucial to get checked out if you’re experiencing this type of pain.
Nausea and Vomiting
Feeling nauseous or even vomiting can be early indicators of a gallbladder issue. People with gallbladder problems might find themselves throwing up after meals, which can sometimes bring temporary relief by easing gas pressure and stomach discomfort. A mild fever might also accompany the nausea. Interestingly, nausea often strikes at night, possibly due to increased pressure on the affected area depending on your sleeping position.
If you’re suddenly not as interested in food, your gallbladder might be to blame. The pain associated with gallbladder issues can make eating a less-than-pleasant experience. Because large meals often trigger nausea, you might find yourself avoiding foods that cause discomfort. If an infection worsens, it can block the bile duct, making digestion a painful process overall.
Changes in Urine
Keep an eye on your urine, as changes in its frequency, consistency, color, or volume can signal gallbladder problems. Gallstones can release bile pigment, turning your urine dark brown or dark brown-yellow. Discolored urine shouldn’t be ignored, as it can be an early sign of a blockage in the common bile duct. However, blood-colored urine is usually unrelated to gallbladder issues and might indicate a kidney or bladder problem.
Changes in Stool
Your stool can also provide clues about your gallbladder health. If you have gallbladder disease, your stool might appear yellow or clay-colored instead of the usual brown. This is due to undigested fats caused by blocked bile ducts. The consistency might also change, becoming looser. An explosive bowel movement with foul-smelling stool could indicate a gallbladder attack.
Fever
Feeling feverish during a gallbladder attack is another sign to watch out for. Unexplained fever and chills could point to an infected gallbladder or bile duct. While fever isn’t usually a symptom of typical biliary colic, it can occur due to cholecystitis, which is inflammation of the gallbladder caused by a stone blocking the duct. If you experience fever along with nausea and vomiting, seek medical attention immediately, as this can be life-threatening.
Chest Pain
It’s easy to mistake a gallbladder attack for a heart attack because both can cause chest pain. Gallbladder-related chest pain usually stems from inflammation or blockage of the bile duct. While chest pain is a hallmark of a heart attack, pain that occurs after eating a rich meal often suggests gallbladder disease. Try avoiding lying down after eating to minimize chest pain and heartburn, or use a wedge-shaped pillow to elevate your upper body.
Jaundice
When biliary fluids get trapped in the gallbladder or liver due to a blocked duct, bilirubin can leak into your bloodstream. This can cause your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow, a condition known as jaundice. Your urine might also become darker. If you notice these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor right away.
Diarrhea
Explosive bowel movements accompanied by abdominal pain can also signal a gallbladder attack. The pain might come and go and can be felt throughout your abdominal region, not just in one spot. Some people experience stabbing pain in their belly, lower back, and even breastbone. If you notice changes in the frequency, color, or consistency of your bowel movements, schedule an appointment with your doctor.
Gallbladder Attack Risk Factor: Certain Foods
Your diet plays a significant role in your risk of gallbladder attacks. Diets high in calories, animal protein, cholesterol, and refined carbohydrates are strongly linked to an increased risk. People who regularly eat these foods often consume less dietary fiber, which can help lower the risk. A study even found that people following a Mediterranean diet had a much lower chance of needing their gallbladder removed.
Risk Factor: Oral Estrogens
Studies suggest that taking oral estrogens can increase your risk of gallbladder disease. Estrogens seem to increase cholesterol saturation in bile, which can lead to gallstone formation. This effect has been observed in both men and women undergoing estrogen therapy, as well as women using oral contraceptives.
Risk Factor: Excess Weight
Being overweight is a major risk factor for gallstone-related disorders. Similar to oral estrogens, excess weight increases the amount of cholesterol in bile, promoting gallstone formation. People with obesity also tend to have enlarged gallbladders that don’t function as well. However, rapid weight loss isn’t the answer, as it can cause the liver to release more cholesterol and affect gallbladder emptying. Gradual weight loss is the best approach.
Risk Factor: Genes
Gallstone attacks seem to run in families, suggesting that genetics play a role. Some people are more prone to gallstones due to mutations in genes responsible for cholesterol flow from the liver to the bile duct. Certain ethnicities also experience gallstone attacks more often, possibly due to a combination of genetic and dietary factors.
Risk Factor: Diabetes
People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing gallbladder disease and experiencing attacks. This could be due to being overweight and having elevated triglyceride levels, which can encourage gallstone formation. Nerve damage related to diabetes might also prevent the gallbladder from releasing bile efficiently. Managing diabetes through diet, lifestyle changes, and medication can help lower the risk.
