Cholecystitis is a swelling and irritation of your gallbladder, a small organ in the right side of your belly near your
liver. The gallbladder’s job is to hold a digestive juice called bile. It releases bile into your small intestine when your body needs it to break down fats. But if the path to your small intestine is blocked, bile gets trapped. That backup can irritate your gallbladder. That’s how cholecystitis happens. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms. They often show up after you’ve eaten a big or especially fatty meal. It’s easy to mistake cholecystitis for other health problems, but another telltale sign is intense pain -- in your belly, in your back, or under your right
shoulder blade. If you don’t see a doctor and get treatment, it can lead to dangerous infections or become a long-term condition. The most common solution is surgery to remove your gallbladder. Cholecystitis can mimic other health problems, so you’ll need to see a doctor for a diagnosis. You might feel a sharp, sudden pain in the upper right side of your belly. You may also feel pain in your back or below your right shoulder blade. Deep breaths may make it worse. Some other symptoms to watch out for include: Symptoms may get worse after a high-fat meal. If you can’t get
comfortable or sit still because your pain is so strong, head to an emergency room. The usual reason bile backs up is that gallstones -- lumps of bile turned solid -- block the way to the small intestine. Gallstones are common. About 10% to 20% of Americans have them. About half of people with gallstones
will get cholecystitis. But gallstones aren’t the only problem that can cause this condition. Others include: Cholecystitis can come on suddenly. You may hear a doctor or nurse call it an “acute” case. Or it can be a long-term problem. Those cases are called “chronic.” You have a higher chance of getting cholecystitis if you: Or
if you have: You also run a bigger chance of getting it if your diet is high in fat and cholesterol or your ancestry is Native American, Hispanic, or Scandinavian. The doctor will examine you, ask a
few questions about your symptoms, and probably order some tests. You should be ready to: Your doctor can tell from blood tests whether you have an infection and whether your liver is working the way it should. They may also want you to have some
imaging tests. These may include: If you have cholecystitis, especially an acute case, you may have to
spend some time in the hospital. You will have to keep your stomach empty so your gallbladder can rest. You’ll probably get fluids through a tube put into a vein. You may get pain medicine and, if doctors are concerned about infection, an antibiotic. Once treatment begins, you should start to feel better. If gallstones caused your problem, doctors may try medications to dissolve them and give you a prescription drug to keep them from forming again. A very low-fat diet may also keep them from coming back. By far the most common treatment is to take out the gallbladder. Your doctor may decide to do the surgery right away, unless
you’re too sick. If you need to wait, doctors can ease symptoms by putting a tube through your skin straight into the gallbladder and draining some bile. Surgery to remove your gallbladder, called a cholecystectomy, usually takes about an hour and is considered low-risk. You’ll get general anesthesia, so you won’t be awake or feel any pain during the procedure. The doctor will make a small cut in your bellybutton to take a look inside with a special instrument. They’ll then take out the gallbladder through another small cut. You can live a healthy life without your gallbladder. Cholecystitis PreventionYou can take steps to lower your chances of getting gallstone and cholecystitis. They include:
Obesity is a major risk factor for getting gallstones. Losing weight can reduce your chances, but be sure you do it in a healthy way. If you’re planning a rapid weight loss program, such as weight loss surgery, your doctor or nurse should monitor you. They may recommend bile acid pills to prevent gallstones as you lose weight. Cholecystitis ComplicationsIf you don’t get treatment, your gallbladder can become infected, and some of the tissue may die. Infection can also spread to other parts of your body, including your pancreas (pancreatitis) and the lining of your belly (peritonitis). If the tubes that carry bile are damaged too much, cholecystitis can harm your liver, too. You could have repeated bouts of painful symptoms. Eventually, your gallbladder will shrink and not work as well. The condition would become a long-term, or chronic, problem. What happens if gallbladder stop working?Since fat cannot be dissolved in the watery environment of the small intestine, when the gallbladder is not functioning properly fat digestion is impaired. Gas, bloating, fatty stools and diarrhea may be experienced as a result.
What are the symptoms of a low functioning gallbladder?Symptoms. Jaundice.. Dark urine, lighter stools or both.. Rapid heartbeat and abrupt blood pressure drop.. Fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, with severe pain in the upper right abdomen.. What causes gallbladder not to function properly?Gallbladder diseases are most often caused by gallstones, which can block the flow of bile through the bile ducts, causing inflammation and pain. Most gallbladder diseases are treated with gallbladder removal surgery.
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