The gallbladder is responsible for storing bile, a substance responsible for breaking down the fat in foods. Produced in the liver, bile is secreted through the common bile duct into the small intestine. Several conditions can affect the gallbladder and cause symptoms. Stones may form in the gallbladder or common bile duct, or the gallbladder may become inflamed from gallbladder disease. A person with a bad gallbladder may experience a variety of symptoms.
Discomfort or Pain
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that lies next to the liver. A person with gallbladder trouble may experience pain or discomfort in the right upper abdomen. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that this pain may range from mild to severe and tends to get worse before it gets better. Pain may occur intermittently and may be more prominent after eating fatty foods. A person may feel gallbladder-related pain as a sharp, stabbing pain. The pain may radiate to the upper back between the shoulder blades or beneath the breastbone. Depending on the condition affecting the gallbladder, pain may last from hours to days, according to the UMMC.
Digestive Symptoms
Gallbladder dysfunction may cause a range of digestive symptoms. A person may experience belching, intestinal gas and bloating. These symptoms may occur after meals. Chronic diarrhea, or that which occurs more than four times a day for at least three months, may also occur.
Emergency Symptoms
Some conditions of the gallbladder are serious and can result in gallbladder rupture or infection. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases advises that some symptoms warrant immediate medical attention.
A yellow tint to the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice, may indicate complete blockage of the common bile duct which can result in organ rupture. Sudden fever or chills and a rapid heartbeat may also occur. A person with a serious gallbladder condition may also develop nausea and vomiting or clay-colored stools. Abdominal pain or discomfort that lasts longer than five hours may also indicate a serious gallbladder problem and warrants medical treatment, according to the NIDDK.
