Gallbladder Diseases

Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine.

Your gallbladder is most likely to give you trouble if something blocks the flow of bile through the bile ducts. That is usually a gallstone. Gallstones form when substances in bile harden. Rarely, you can also get cancer in your gallbladder.

Many gallbladder problems get better with removal of the gallbladder. Fortunately, you can live without a gallbladder. Bile has other ways of reaching your small intestine.

Symptoms of Gallbladder Diseases

The following features are indicative of Gallbladder Diseases:

sudden and rapidly severe pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen
sudden and rapidly severe pain in the center of the abdomen
back pain between the shoulder blades
pain in the right shoulder
nausea or vomiting
jaundice
abdominal pain
abdominal bloating
itchiness
fever
loss of appetite
weight loss

It is possible that Gallbladder Diseases shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Gallbladder Diseases

The following are the most common causes of Gallbladder Diseases:

bile contains high amount of cholesterol
bile contains high amount of bilirubin
gallbladder does not empty correctly
DNA mutations

Risk Factors for Gallbladder Diseases

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Gallbladder Diseases:

being female
being age 40 or older
being a Native American
being a Mexican-American
being overweight or obese
being sedentary
being pregnant
eating a high-fat diet
eating a high-cholesterol diet
eating a low-fiber diet
having a family history of gallstones
having diabetes
losing weight very quickly
taking medications that contain estrogen
having liver disease
history of gallstones
other gallbladder conditions and diseases

Prevention of Gallbladder Diseases

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Gallbladder Diseases. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:

do not skip meals
lose weight slowly
maintain a healthy weight

Occurrence of Gallbladder Diseases

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Gallbladder Diseases cases seen each year worldwide:

Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Gallbladder Diseases can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Gallbladder Diseases can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Gallbladder Diseases

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Gallbladder Diseases:

Ultrasound and Computerized tomography (CT) scan: To get picture of gallbladder to detect signs of gallstones
Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): To detect whether a gallstone is causing a blockage
Blood tests: To detect infections, pancreatitis, jaundice or other complications
Biopsy: To view the signs of cancer
X-ray: To view the picture of the structures inside of the body
Percutaneous cholangiography: To view the images of the bile ducts
Laparoscopy: To view the gallbladder and other internal organs
Blood tests: To check for abnormal levels of bilirubin and other substances
Computed tomography scan: To measure the tumor’s size
Magnetic resonance imaging: To view the detailed images of the body
Ultrasound: To diagnose gallbladder cancer
Endoscopic ultrasonography: To diagnose the tumor
Positron emission tomography scan: To view the pictures of organs and tissues inside the body

Doctor for Diagnosis of Gallbladder Diseases

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Gallbladder Diseases:

Gastroenterologist

Complications of Gallbladder Diseases if untreated

Yes, Gallbladder Diseases causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Gallbladder Diseases is left untreated:

gallbladder inflammation
blockage of the common bile duct
blockage of the pancreatic duct
acute cholecystitis

Procedures for Treatment of Gallbladder Diseases

The following procedures are used to treat Gallbladder Diseases:

Surgery: Removal of gallbladder
Chemotherapy: To kill cancer cells
Radiation therapy:To kill cancer cells

Self-care for Gallbladder Diseases

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Gallbladder Diseases:

Make healthier choices: Cutting down on alcohol and tobacco keep your stress level under control
Eat better: Eat small portions every 2 to 3 hours until you feel better
Maintain a healthy routine: Helps in recovering from disease
Maintain a healthy weight: Lowers the risk of gallstones

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Gallbladder Diseases

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Gallbladder Diseases:

Cleanse gallbladder by combination of olive oil, herbs and some type of fruit juice: Helps in breaking up gallstones and stimulates the gallbladder to release them in stool

Patient Support for Treatment of Gallbladder Diseases

The following actions may help Gallbladder Diseases patients:

Ask questions about gallbladder cancer: Helps in making decisions about your care
Stay connected to friends and family: Helps in dealing with the disease
Support groups: Join support groups with the individual's facing the same problem
Talk with your doctor: Helps in making decisions and coping with the disease

Time for Treatment of Gallbladder Diseases

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Gallbladder Diseases to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:

More than 1 year

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.

This page provides information for Gallbladder Diseases.

Gallbladder Cancer

Gallstones