Stomach pain is a common symptom that can be due to a variety of causes. Sometimes stomach pain can be triggered by eating certain foods. This typically is the result of some sort of problem with the digestive system. In some cases, people cannot develop pain in the abdomen after eating fatty foods, which may be due to a problem with the gall bladder.
Identification
Abdominal pain which occurs after eating fatty foods is associated with a problem with the gallbladder, FamilyDoctor explains. This kind of pain typically localizes to the upper right or upper middle portions of the abdomen. One hallmark of abdominal pain caused by gallbladder disease is that it typically occurs after the ingestion of large, fatty meals, and it does not get better with the consumption of antacids.
Gallbladder Function
The gallbladder is responsible for storing bile, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders notes. Bile is important for the digestion and absorption of fat. Fats and oils do not mix well with water, which can make it difficult for them to be absorbed by the intestines, since the fats tend to form large globules in the water-based environment of the digestive tract. Bile, which is produced by the liver, helps fats mix with water, making it easier for the intestines to absorb fats from the diet.
Gallstones
Gallbladder disease is typically caused by gallstones. Gallstones are the result of portions of bile forming hard deposits. If these stones become deposited in the gallbladder, they can block the flow of bile through the gallbladder. The gallbladder is stimulated by fatty meals, which means that high-fat meals can exacerbate this inflammation, resulting in abdominal pain that occurs after fatty foods are consumed.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing the cause of abdominal pain after eating fatty foods may require an abdominal ultrasound or CT scan to visualize the gallbladder and other nearby structures. If gallstones are suspected, another test, known as a endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP, may be performed, the Mayo Clinic explains, which allows a small flexible camera to travel through the gallbladder and identify any gallstones.
Treatment
There are two main ways of treating gallstones. The gallbladder can be surgically removed, which is important because gallstones frequently recur. The gallbladder is not essential for proper digestions, but if it is removed, patients will have trouble properly digesting meals that are high in fat. There are also medications that can be given to help dissolve the gallstones, but these medications can take years to fully dissolve the gallstones.
