Gallbladder and bile duct Cholecystitis (ko-luh-sis-TIE-tis) is inflammation of the gallbladder. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, beneath your liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid that’s released into your small intestine (bile).

Your gallbladder is located in the right upper quadrant of your abdomen. This is the area on the right side of your abdomen that ranges from the bottom of your sternum (breastbone) to your navel. Inside your body, the gallbladder can be found under the liver. It’s approximately the size of a small pear.

The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver. After meals, the gallbladder is empty and flat, like a deflated balloon. Before a meal, the gallbladder may be full of bile and about the size of a small pear.

The gallbladder is a small sac that stores bile from the liver, and it’s found just beneath your liver. It releases bile through ducts into the small intestine to help break down the foods you eat — particularly fatty foods.

Common Symptom: Pain A gallbladder attack usually causes a sudden gnawing pain that gets worse. You may feel it in the upper right or center of your belly, in your back between your shoulder blades, or in your right shoulder. You might also vomit or have nausea. Pain usually lasts 20 minutes to an hour.

Symptoms of a gallbladder problem

• Pain. The most common symptom of a gallbladder problem is pain.
• Nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of all types of gallbladder problems.
• Fever or chills.
• Chronic diarrhea.
• Jaundice.
• Unusual stools or urine.

Foods that may trigger gallbladder attacks include:

• Fatty foods.
• Fried foods.
• Dairy products.
• Sugary foods.
• Eggs.
• Acidic foods.
• Carbonated soft drinks.

When your gallbladder gets inflamed and swollen, symptoms include pain in your belly, including the area just above your stomach. You also may feel an ache in your back or right shoulder blade. Usually, an ultrasound and other imaging tests can diagnose it.

Also known as the “stomach flu,” gastroenteritis may be mistaken for a gallbladder issue. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and cramping are hallmarks of the stomach flu. Kidney stones. Kidney stones can cause sharp pains in your abdomen, side, and back.

In most cases, a gallbladder cleanse involves eating or drinking a combination of olive oil, herbs and some type of fruit juice over several hours. Proponents claim that gallbladder cleansing helps break up gallstones and stimulates the gallbladder to release them in stool.

Symptoms

1. Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen.
2. Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the center of your abdomen, just below your breastbone.
3. Back pain between your shoulder blades.
4. Pain in your right shoulder.
5. Nausea or vomiting.

Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder tissue secondary to duct blockage): severe steady pain in the upper-right abdomen that may radiate to the right shoulder or back, abdominal tenderness when touched or pressed, sweating, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and bloating; discomfort lasts longer than with …

For gallbladder health, a heated compress can calm spasms and relieve pressure from bile buildup. To relieve gallbladder pain, wet a towel with warm water and apply it to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also use a heating pad or hot water bottle for the same effect.

Tips for eating more vegetables and fruit Add fruit such as banana or berries or a handful of dried fruit on breakfast cereal. Add salad to your sandwich fillings. Have a healthy dessert: try whole fruit, fruit salad, fruit tinned in juice or stewed fruit.

Men who drink two to three cups of coffee a day have a 4% lower risk of developing gallstones than those who do not drink coffee regularly, and men who drink four or more cups a day have a 45% lower risk, according to a new study.

Healthy Foods for the Gallbladder

• Fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Whole grains (whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oats, bran cereal)
• Lean meat, poultry, and fish.
• Low-fat dairy products.

Experts say that spicy foods per se aren’t a known risk factor for gallbladder problems, but fatty foods like chips are a risk factor. (The gallbladder is a small organ under the liver that stores and releases bile, a fluid that helps digest fat.)

What foods should I eat?

• beans.
• lentils.
• peas.
• potatoes with skin.
• oats.
• barley.
• whole grain bread, pasta, rice, and cereal.
• raw nuts (not roasted in oils), such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews.

The gallbladder produces bile that helps the body digest fats. A high intake of fats, and especially saturated and trans fats, may put extra strain on this process. Researchers have found that people who consume red, processed meats, and egg as part of an overall unhealthful diet have a higher risk of gallstones.

Choose garments that stretch and have soft material. Little movements go a long way. Moving around may feel like the last thing that you want to do if you are sore and tired, but actually getting up and moving around every few hours will expedite the healing process and help reduce the build-up of gas in your belly.

Without the gallbladder, the body cannot store as much bile, and it does not break down as much fat. While the possible immediate adverse effects of surgery, such as diarrhea, may lead to weight loss in the short term, gallbladder removal may actually lead to a higher long-term body mass index (BMI).

Post-cholecystectomy syndrome includes symptoms of:

• Fatty food intolerance.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Flatulence (gas)
• Indigestion.
• Diarrhea.
• Jaundice (yellowish tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes)
• Episodes of abdominal pain.

Some of the lifestyle changes that can help ease digestive symptoms when you’re living without a gallbladder are:

1. Adopt a low-fat diet.
2. Avoid eating fatty foods, such as fried foods.
3. Eat small, frequent meals.
4. Avoid eating a very large dinner after fasting all day.

Include moderate quantities of virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados. Take a liver supporting supplement. This should include Milk Thistle, Dandelion and Artichoke which all work in synergy to enhance the production of extra bile.

You can lead a perfectly normal life without a gallbladder. Your liver will still make enough bile to digest your food, but instead of being stored in the gallbladder, it drips continuously into your digestive system.

Whilst the gall bladder contains bile, that helps the body to break down dietary fats, some people report that it is possible to follow a low-carb, high fat diet without a gallbladder.

Most people can return to their normal activities in 7 to 10 days. People who have laparoscopic gallbladder surgery are sore for about a week. But in 2 to 3 weeks they have much less discomfort than people who have open surgery. No special diets or other precautions are needed after surgery.

Just make sure to sleep on your left side rather than your right where the incisions are to avoid putting too much pressure on this sensitive area. In order to increase the comfort factor, you could use a memory foam knee pillow to help support and straighten your legs, hips, back, and abdominal area while you sleep.

Advertisement

1. Go easy on the fat. Avoid high-fat foods, fried and greasy foods, and fatty sauces and gravies for at least a week after surgery.
2. Increase the fiber in your diet. This can help normalize bowel movements.
3. Eat smaller, more-frequent meals. This may ensure a better mix with available bile.

Soft, solid foods (i.e. bananas, plain pasta, eggs, etc.) are easier for your body to digest,but this depends on how you are feeling after your gallbladder removal. It is important to remember that it is best to slowly introduce solid foods as more time passes.