Eating fatty foods is one of the quickest ways to trigger a gallbladder attack. Lettuce consumption should not cause gallbladder problems, unless you eat the vegetable with dressing that’s high in fat. It’s possible that you may be confusing gallbladder pain with heartburn after eating lettuce. If you develop pain in your chest that radiates into your right shoulder, call your doctor right away. Gallbladder disease affects women twice as much as it does men, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Gallbladder Disease
Lettuce does not directly affect the gallbladder. However, if you have gallbladder complications, eating lettuce with high-fat dressing may trigger a gallbladder attack. The gallbladder is sac located by the liver that helps to store extra bile, which is needed during digestion to break down fats so the body can absorb the fat and store it for energy. When you eat foods that are high in fat, the gallbladder contracts and secretes bile from the gallbladder sac, through the gallbladder duct and into the stomach. Gallbladder disease is defined by the University of Maryland Medical Center as inflammation of the gallbladder or the presence of gallstones.
Gallstones
While most people have no symptoms with the presence of gallstones, if a stone becomes lodged in the gallbladder duct, you will quickly develop severe pain in your upper-right abdomen, right shoulder or between your shoulder blades. Gallstones are cholesterol deposits that form in the gallbladder, causing pebble-like clusters that can range from the size of a grain of sand to golf ball size, according to MayoClinic.com. After eating lettuce that is consumed with high-fat ingredients, you may experience a gallbladder attack.
Treatment
If you develop gallbladder pain, call your doctor. Your doctor will use ultrasound technology to determine whether or not your gallbladder is inflamed or contains gallstones. If the gland is infected, your doctor will recommend the removal of the gallbladder, because the risk of infection is too dangerous. If you have gallstones without any symptoms, your doctor may prescribe medication to help dissolve the stones over time. Modifying your diet by avoiding high-fat foods, such as salad dressing, whole milk, ice cream and fried foods, may help prevent a gallbladder attack.
Consideration
If you develop pain in your upper abdomen every time you eat lettuce, you may have heartburn, which is different from a gallbladder attack. Lettuce is a high-fiber food that can cause stomach acid to enter your esophagus, causing a burning sensation behind your breastbone.
