Gallbladder pain

Posted under General Health by Don

The pain that generally appears below the lower right rib in the gall bladder area is called the gallbladder pain. Starting from the lower right rib, it could spread to the right lower back, shoulder and the shoulder blade. Gallbladder pain is usually associated with gallstones present in the gall bladder. However, there are certain other reasons for the pain in the upper right abdominal area. It could be due to pain in liver, ureter, right kidney, stomach, pancreas, duodenum and ribs and muscles in the affected area.

The cause of the gallbladder pain can be attributed to:

• Gallbladder disorders: such as gallstones, inflamed gallbladder, biliary dyskinesia or gallbladder cancer.
• Bile duct disorders: such as gallstones, fibrosis, inflammation or cancer in the bile ducts.

Diagnosis of gallbladder pain due to gallbladder stones can be done through ultrasonography. If the cause is not gallstones, additional gallbladder tests have to be carried out to rule out bile duct disorders.

One of the usual causes of gallbladder pain, are the gallbladder stones that are deposited in the gallbladder. In this case the gallbladder becomes inflamed and results in infection, pain and other serious problems. An attack of gallbladder pain is typical of acute pain in the mid or right abdominal area and may be associated with a feeling of nausea. Each breath may tend to increase the intensity of pain.

Treatment of gallbladder pain involves elimination of the causes of gallbladder stones. In case the pain arises due to other reasons than the stones, they have to be checked out. In order to avoid gallstones, one must not overload the liver with fatty and fried food. Saturated fats present in dairy products and meat, have to be completely avoided. In case any of the gallstones gets lodged in the bile duct or other areas, it has to be surgically removed. If not treated immediately, the condition can become life threatening. Therefore treatment must start as soon as one experiences pain and the cause diagnosed.