Gallstones symptoms can vary, depending in the size and number of them, and the person. However, learning the basics may help you identify gallstones before the condition gets worse. Some people may experience no gallstone symptoms at all, while others may have severe pain as their first sign of trouble.
The most common gallstone symptom is pain in the upper right abdomen, often after eating a fatty meal. Other gallstone symptoms include:
- Bloating
- Belching
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain between your shoulder blades
- Rapid heartbeat
- Itchy skin
- Diarrhea
- Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine
In extreme cases, you might also experience rapid weight loss, high fever, confusions, chills, loss of appetite, and more. The pain caused by a gallstone issue usually only lasts a few hours, particularly after eating, but it can feel very severe for some people.
When left untreated, it can also lead to gallbladder infection, and inflammation of the gallbladder, liver, or the pancreas.
If gallstones become lodged in the gallbladder ducts, they can block the flow of bile and cause a potentially life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. If gallstones block your bile ducts, the bile can build up and cause a “gallbladder attack”, called biliary colic. Gallbladder attacks usually happen after a heavy meal and into the evening or night. If you have experienced one gallbladder attack, the chances are high that you will have another.
Luckily, there are treatments available to remove gallstones and relieve their symptoms. The sooner you discover it, the lesser your chances of getting biliary colic, pancreatitis, or other conditions and infections.
If you think you may have gallstones, it’s important to see a doctor right away because they can sometimes become life-threatening. Treatment options include taking medications to dissolve the stones or, in some cases, having surgery to remove the gallbladder.
Severity of Signs
Gallstones symptoms can range from mild to severe. The most common symptom is pain in the upper abdomen, which can be either sharp or dull. Some people feel the pain all day long, and for other people, it comes and goes. You may feel it the most after eating, especially if you eat fried or greasy food. Other gallstones symptoms include nausea, vomiting, bloating, and indigestion. The severity of these symptoms can also vary from person to person.
In some cases, gallstones can also cause fever and yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). If you experience any of these gallstones symptoms, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. Gallstones can often be treated with medication or surgery, but if left untreated, they can lead to more serious health complications.
Gallbladder attacks are usually the result of gallstones blocking the bile ducts. This means that once the gallstones move on their way, they will no longer cause these symptoms. However, in some cases, the gallstones do not move on and if your bile ducts remain blocked for more than a few hours, you will have symptoms.
Gallstones that do not block your bile ducts do not have symptoms. If you’re over 40, there’s a good chance you’ve had them and don’t even know it.
What are Gallstones?
Gallstones, Cholecystolithiasis, are small, hard deposits that form in the gallbladder. Gallstones can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Most gallstones are made of cholesterol, but they can also be made of calcium bilirubinate or pigment. The gallbladder is a small, sac-like organ that sits just below the liver.
The gallbladder’s main function is to store and concentrate bile, a yellowish-brown fluid that helps the body break down fat. Some people have just one gallstone, while others have many. Gallstones often don’t cause any symptoms. But if they do, you may feel pain in your upper right abdomen and other symptoms listed above. Gallstones can also block the flow of bile from your gallbladder to your intestine, causing indigestion and other problems.
People with gallstones that are exhibiting symptoms may need medical intervention to help. Treatment for gallstones usually involves pain relief and waiting for the gallstones to pass on their own. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove your gallbladder if you have gallstones that are causing pain or other problems.
Gallstones are more common in people assigned female at birth than those assigned male at birth, and they usually develop after age 40. They are more common in those assigned female at birth because of hormones (estrogen).
There is also a higher risk factor for Native Americans or people of Mexican descent. And if you have a metabolic syndrome like high blood triglycerides, insulin resistance, or obesity, then your risk can go up, too.
What Causes Cholecystolithiasis?
Gallstones form when there is an imbalance in the amount of cholesterol, bile salts, and water in the gallbladder. This can happen if the gallbladder doesn’t empty completely or if it contracts too slowly. If gallstones block the ducts that connect the gallbladder to the liver or pancreas, they can cause serious pain and other problems.
In simple terms, what causes gallstones:
- High blood cholesterol
- Excess bilirubin
- Gallbladder stasis
How Common Are They?
They are actually more common than you might think. Anyone can get them, including children. In fact, gallstones are common in developed countries, affecting about 10% of adults and 20% of those over the age of 65. Only 20% of people diagnosed with gallstones will need treatment, however.
Risk of gallstones go up after age 40 or older because the stones actually form very slowly. They can take from 10-20 years to grow large enough to cause an obstruction. While many people can have gallstones and not even know it, symptomatic gallstones will typically require treatment.
Other Complications and Signs
In addition to the symptoms above, untreated gallstones that are symptomatic can lead to other complications such as:
Gallbladder disease – As mentioned above, a condition where gallstones get larger and block the bile ducts, causing it to back up in your gallbladder and can cause infection.
Liver disease – A blockage anywhere throughout the biliary system can contribute to liver disease.
Gallstone pancreatitis – When gallstones block the pancreatic duct, it can lead to inflammation in the pancreas.
Malabsorption – If bile cannot travel to your small intestine as intended, it can lead to malabsorption issues with the food you eat.
Jaundice – Backed up bile will leak out into your bloodstream and make you sick. Bile carries the toxins that your liver has filtered from your body. This bilirubin content is yellow and when the skin or eyes become yellow, this is an indication jaundice has set in.
Cholangitis – Inflammation in your bile ducts can also lead to infections there and long-term scarring. Scarring will make the bile ducts narrow, restricting the flow of bile. This can lead to long-term problems, even after the immediate blockage has been addressed.