Diseases of the Gallbladder
There are various diseases of the gallbladder:
Cholecystitis (Inflammation of the Gallbladder)
In this disease, flatulence, indigestion, and heartburn occur. Along with flatulence, pain is felt beneath the right costal margin or below the right scapular angle.
Symptoms:
Acute muscular tension with swelling, severe pain in the subcostal region, and intense pain radiating toward the right shoulder. Localized tenderness is present. Sometimes breathing difficulty also occurs. The body temperature is elevated, and chills may sometimes be present. There is indigestion, severe nausea, vomiting, and restlessness. Blood examination reveals leukocytosis. Palpitations and jaundice may also occur.
Chronic symptoms depend upon the presence of gallstones, inflammation of the bile ducts, and to some extent the effects of toxic absorption. Accordingly, flatulence and indigestion occur. Abdominal bloating becomes more pronounced after eating, especially after consuming fatty foods. Simultaneously, a dull aching pain begins beneath the right costal margin or below the right scapular angle. The pain usually starts on bending forward, and bending further increases the pain. From time to time, brief but severe attacks of pain begin in the epigastric region and spread around both sides of the lower false ribs. This indicates that a stone has entered the cystic duct or the common bile duct.
Because of fear of pain and bloating, the patient avoids physical work, resulting in weight gain and increased accumulation of fatty tissues in the body, eventually leading to shortness of breath. There is burning in the chest. If a stone becomes lodged in the common bile duct, jaundice develops. In some patients, symptoms are very mild, and the main complaints are nausea, headache, pain in the neck, back, and joints. These symptoms may become severe due to the absorption of toxic substances into the blood. Pressure over the gallbladder region causes pain. Deep breathing also causes discomfort and may even interrupt breathing.
Causes:
Excessive use of cold and dry substances, poisoning.
Gallstones (Cholelithiasis)
In this disease, stones form within the gallbladder and may remain there without causing pain or severe pathological symptoms. However, heaviness is felt in the gallbladder region and tension in the stomach area. The patient often takes deep sighing breaths, experiences nausea, and symptoms change as the stone changes position.
Symptoms:
As long as the gallstone remains within the gallbladder, it usually does not produce significant symptoms. However, when it changes position, disease symptoms begin to appear. The severity of these symptoms depends upon the structure, size, and location of the stone.
If the stone is present in the bile duct, the stool becomes pale or white, and severe pain occurs. Typically, pain attacks begin suddenly at night. The pain starts in the epigastric region and extends upward to the upper part of the right shoulder. The tip of the ninth rib becomes extremely tender. Vomiting occurs, and fever with chills develops.
If the stone remains impacted, painful attacks continue. If it passes through the bile duct and enters the duodenum, the pain suddenly disappears, and the stone is expelled with the stool.
Sometimes, even when the stone remains in the gallbladder, symptoms may develop, such as heaviness in the gallbladder region and a feeling of tension in the stomach area. The patient frequently takes deep sighs while breathing and complains of nausea. Fainting may also occur. Chills develop after eating food.
If the stone enters the Common Bile Duct, it becomes more dangerous and painful and may lead to serious pathological complications, including biliary blood changes, inflammatory jaundice, liver abscess, pancreatitis, and inflammation of the portal vein.
The diagnosis of gallstones can be confirmed by X-ray and ultrasound examination.
Causes:
Excessive use of cold and dry substances.