Gallbladder Stones Symptoms

One of the most costly and most common digestive diseases in the United States today is gallstones. It causes hospitalizations numbering more than 800,000 annually. About a million new cases of gallstones are diagnosed every year. Women are twice more likely to develop them as compared to men. The occurrence of gallstones is often related to rapid weight loss, obesity, and multiple pregnancies. Here is some useful information on gallbladder stone symptoms.

Gallbladder Stones Diagnosis

There are two methods of diagnosing gallbladder stones. The first method is by ultrasonography and the second is by cholecystography. Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound waves in order to detect any form of abnormality in a patient’s body. On the other hand, cholecystography uses x-rays to outline the ducts and the patient’s gall bladder.

Gallbladder Stones Symptoms

Sudden and severe pain is the most commonly reported symptom of gallbladder stones. These pain attacks usually occur in episodes with intervals lasting for several days. Some people have intervals lasting for weeks while others months but there are also people who have these attacks with intervals lasting for several years.

This severe pain is usually felt on the abdomen usually at the upper right part. It is usually triggered by the consumption of a greasy or fatty meal. The pain usually starts after 30 minutes of the said ingestion. Those who experience such pain describe it as being severe, constant, and dull. It is reported that this severe pain usually lasts from one up to five hours. People often suffer them during sleep often waking them up but patients usually prefer to wait for the pain to subside as they remain to lie down in bed.

Other gallbladder stones symptoms include intolerance to fatty food, nausea, vomiting, fever, belching, indigestion, bloating, and jaundice. If a patient experiences persistent pain, fever, and jaundice, these are now warning signs of a possible serious problem.

Seeking Medical Help

Since most people do not experience gallbladder stones symptoms such a condition generally does not merit medical care. Only when symptoms do show up will medical aid is sought. Take note that when a person experiences recurring episodes of abdominal pain that should be the time when medical help should be sought. The said abdominal pain usually starts 30 minutes to about an hour after meals.

The following conditions merit taking your patient to the emergency department of the nearest hospital: vomiting, sweats, chills, fever, abdominal pain that can’t be controlled using over-the-counter medication, and jaundice.