The gallbladder is a small sac beneath your liver that stores bile and helps with digestion.
Typically the gallbladder doesn’t cause too many problems or much concern. But if something slows or blocks the flow of bile from the gallbladder, a number of problems can result.
Specific symptoms may vary according to the type of gallbladder condition you have, although many symptoms are common among the various types of gallbladder problems.
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of a gallbladder problem, but you may also have these other symptoms.Everyday Health
Common Symptoms of a Gallbladder Problem
Some gallbladder problems, like simple gallstones that are not blocking the bile ducts, often cause no symptoms at all.
Most gallbladder symptoms start with pain in the upper abdominal area, either in the upper right or middle.
Here are some common symptoms of gallbladder problems:
Pain in the upper right abdomen
Pain behind the breastbone
Nausea or vomiting
Fever and chills
Gas and abdominal discomfort after meals
Chronic diarrhea
Jaundice
Dark urine
Lighter stools
Rapid heartbeat with an abrupt drop in blood pressure
If you spot any symptoms that you believe may indicate a gallbladder issue, talk with your doctor.
Common Gallbladder Problems
Here are some common gallbladder problems.
Gallstones (Cholelithiasis)
This is a condition in which small stones, or sometimes larger ones, develop inside the gallbladder. These stones form from substances found in bile, including cholesterol and a pigment called bilirubin.
Gallstones may cause pain known as biliary colic, but about 90 percent of people with gallstones will have no symptoms. Most symptomatic gallstones will have been present for a number of years.
Biliary Colic
This term is often used to describe severe episodes of pain that can occur when gallstones block the flow of bile to the small intestine. The gallbladder contracts vigorously against the blockage, causing severe pain in spasms, or sometimes constant pain.
Biliary colic episodes usually last one to five hours, with mild pain lingering for up to 24 hours. They’re especially common after large or fatty meals, particularly if you’ve been fasting beforehand.
Inflamed Gallbladder (Cholecystitis)
Inflammation of the gallbladder can be caused by gallstones, excessive alcohol use, infections, or even tumors that cause bile buildup. But the most common cause of cholecystitis is gallstones.
In this case, irritation by gallstones causes the gallbladder walls to become swollen and painful. An episode of inflammation can last for several hours, or even a few days. Fever is not unusual.
Sometimes, the inflamed gallbladder is invaded by intestinal bacteria and becomes infected. Suspected episodes of cholecystitis always require medical attention, particularly if you have a fever.
Perforated Gallbladder
An inflamed gallbladder can lead to a number of serious complications, including a torn, or perforated, gallbladder. This is a potentially life-threatening condition and requires emergency surgery to remove the gallbladder.
Common Bile Duct Infection
Most cases of inflammation in the bile duct system, called cholangitis, are caused by a combination of obstruction of a bile duct (by gallstone or biliary strictures) and a bacterial infection.
If bacteria builds up above the blockage, it can back up into the liver and may cause severe infection. Antibiotics are needed to treat a bacterial infection. Doctors may also need to drain the fluid in the bile duct to determine the cause of blockage.
Gallbladder Abscess
Sometimes a severe gallbladder infection can lead to an abscess on the organ, also called empyema of the gallbladder. Antibiotics alone may not be enough to treat abscesses and they may need to be drained.
Porcelain Gallbladder
This occurs when the walls of the gallbladder become so calcified that they resemble porcelain on an X-ray. Porcelain bladders are thought to be associated with a very high risk of cancer and should be removed surgically.
Gallbladder Polyps
These are growths that protrude from the surface of the inner gallbladder wall. Some polyps form as a result of inflammation or because of cholesterol deposits in the gallbladder wall. These polyps are unlikely to cause any symptoms.
Others are tumors, which may be cancerous, though about 95 percent of gallbladder polyps are benign. Doctors recommend that gallbladder polyps larger than 1 centimeter in diameter be removed.
The Takeaway
Your gallbladder helps you digest fatty foods, but if bile flow is blocked, you can experience pain and other issues.
Conditions like gallstones and cholecystitis may lead to symptoms such as severe abdominal pain and nausea.
Always monitor your symptoms closely and consult a healthcare provider if you suspect any gallbladder issues; timely attention can ensure your digestive system stays in good shape.
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.
Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.
She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.
Diana Rodriguez is a full-time freelance writer with experience writing health-related news and feature stories. She is skilled in taking confusing doctor-speak and complex medical topics and crafting language that's easy for readers to understand. She is a managing editor at the Mayo Clinic and has written extensively for HealthDay. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and French from Miami University.
