Gallbladder Resource Center - All Articles
Health ConditionsDigestive HealthGallbladder

Gallbladder - All Articles

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The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that stores bile, a fat-digesting fluid made by the liver, before releasing it to support digestion. Conditions like gallstones can block the ducts, and the inflammation it causes may lead to upper right abdominal pain, jaundice, pain after eating fatty foods, fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. You can live an active, healthy life without a gallbladder, and treatment of a gallbladder blockage often involves surgical removal of the organ.

 Lifestyle measures like regular mealtimes, gradual weight loss when necessary, eating more high-fiber foods, and maintaining a healthy body weight can reduce your risk of gallstones.

FAQ

What causes gallbladder problems?

Gallbladder problems often occur due to bile duct or cystic duct blockage by gallstones. Cystic duct blockage causes typical gallbladder symptoms or infection, while bile duct blockage can lead to more serious symptoms.

Sharp pain in the upper right abdomen that lasts for hours is a hallmark gallbladder symptom. Other symptoms include feeling sick, appetite loss, dark urine, extreme tiredness, jaundice, fever, itching, night sweats, and greasy, clay-colored stools.

Doctors diagnose gallbladder issues using an abdominal ultrasound, blood tests for high bilirubin and liver/pancreas enzyme levels, and magnetic resonance imaging of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.

After gallbladder removal, you can live a normal, healthy life, since the liver can produce enough bile for normal digestion. However, gallbladder removal might disrupt digestion for a period of time as the digestive system settles into its new gallbladder-free process.

High-fat meats, fried foods, and dairy can be tough to digest after gallbladder removal, as can high-fiber and "gassy" foods. Your doctor will explain how to reintroduce these foods slowly following surgery. Large meals might also be uncomfortable to digest.

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Resources
  1. Gallbladder. Cleveland Clinic. July 28, 2021.
  2. Gallstones. Mayo Clinic. August 20, 2021.

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