Gallbladder Disorder Symptoms
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped, non-essential organ that stores the bile produced in the liver and assists in the digestion of food. When foods are consumed, particularly foods with a high fat content, bile is released from the gallbladder into the small intestine to help to digest it. Gallbladder disorders, sometimes referred to as biliary disorders, block the flow of bile and disrupt this function. These disorders include gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, and gallbladder infection. Most gallbladder disorders stem from the development of gallstones.
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Abdominal Pain
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Severe pain in the upper right region of your abdomen possibly extending into your back and right shoulder blade is the primary complaint of those suffering from a gallbladder disorder. The pain can be intermittent, ranging from sharp cramps to dull aches. Eating a meal consisting of fatty or greasy foods may trigger pain due to a gallbladder disorder.
Nausea and Vomiting
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Nausea and vomiting are the secondary most common complaint of gallbladder disorder sufferers. These symptoms should be addressed by a medical professional if they persist for several days, particularly if accompanied by diarrhea. Dehydration is an additional concern if diarrhea is accompanied by the inability to keep down any food or fluids.
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Fever
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Fever occurs in a very small portion of gallbladder disorder sufferers and is usually indicative of your body fighting a gallbladder infection. In these instances, the body temperature typically rises to approximately 100.4 degrees and stabilizes. With a small group of those experiencing fever, it is occasionally accompanied by chills.
Clay-Colored Stool
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Bile is created in the liver and housed in the gallbladder prior its release into the small intestine to assist with the digestion of food, particularly foods with a high fat content. It is what provides stool with its brown color. When gallbladder disorders prevent the release of bile into the small intestine, the the body cannot properly absorb fat and stool color will lighten to the color of clay as well as appear greasy.
Jaundice
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Jaundice is the medical term for yellow discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes such as the whites of the eyes. It is a result of an oversupply of bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Gallbladder disorders generally block the bile ducts, preventing bilirubin from making its way from liver through the gallbladder to the small intestine, resulting in this overabundance of bilirubin.
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