According to Mayoclinic.com, chronic gallbladder disease, or chronic cholecystitis, is the inflammation of the gallbladder that occurs due to obstruction caused by the presence of gallstones. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid known as bile, which helps with the digestion of food. Chronic gallbladder disease usually occurs due to repeated long-standing irritation of the gallbladder, which result in the gallbladder becoming thick-walled and scarred, unable to function properly. MedlinePlus states that the major symptoms of this disease are abdominal pain and nausea.
Abdominal Pain
According to MedlinePlus, abdominal pain is the greatest of all chronic gallbladder disease symptoms. The pain is usually severe and concentrated around the upper right part of the abdomen. It can last for several hours if it is not treated. The abdominal pain caused by chronic gallbladder disease will normally tend to get even more painful when a patient tries to breathe in deeply. The pain may also radiate from the abdominal region up towards the right shoulder or even to the back. The abdominal region often becomes tender to the touch. This tenderness may fade away as bloating occurs.
Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting are also symptoms seen in chronic gallbladder disease, according to MedlinePlus. Nausea usually occurs after eating fatty meals. In normal situations, bile from the gallbladder aids in digesting fats, so when bile flow is obstructed in chronic gallbladder disease, there is an accumulation of fat, which cannot be digested. Loss of appetite and chronic diarrhea may also occur.
Other Symptoms
According to Mayoclinic.com, additional chronic gallbladder disease symptoms include sweating, fever and chills. In response to an infection in the gallbladder, the body raises its internal set temperature, thus creating a fever. Sweating occurs as the body’s immune system attempts to decrease the body temperature.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallstones and gallbladder disease symptoms
- U.S. National Library of medicine and the National Health Institutes : Chronic Cholecystitis
- U.S. National Library of medicine and the National Health Institutes : Nausea and vomiting
- Mayoclinic.com: Cholecystitis definition and symptoms
- Mayoclinic.com: Gallstones
