To know if your gallbladder is "bad" or having a problem, watch for these common signs and symptoms:
- Pain: Sharp or persistent pain in the upper right part of your belly or near your belly button, sometimes radiating to the back or right shoulder blade. This pain can be mild to severe and intermittent or constant.
- Nausea and vomiting: Feeling nauseous or vomiting, especially after eating fatty or greasy foods, can indicate gallbladder issues.
- Digestive changes: Diarrhea, frequent bowel movements, or changes in stool color (light or clay-colored stools) and urine color (dark urine).
- Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, caused by bile duct blockage, is a serious sign.
- Other symptoms: Fever or chills if infection is involved, bloating, indigestion, and acid reflux.
If you have intense pain that lasts for hours, persistent jaundice, or fever with chills, seek medical attention immediately as these indicate more serious gallbladder conditions like infection or blockage.
Gallbladder problems can sometimes be silent or subtle but these symptoms are key indicators. For diagnosis, doctors typically use physical exams, blood tests, and imaging like ultrasound.
