Gallbladder Dysfunction

by Symptom Advice on January 15, 2011

Gallbladder dysfunction is also called cholecystitis. That means that the gallbladder is inflamed and/or there are gallstones present in the body. Gallbladder dysfunction can be caused by gallstones that are stuck within the bile duct, which further results in problems with gallbladder and severe pain. Gallstones are mostly composed of the bile components like: water, salt, cholesterol, electrolytes etc.

Dysfunction of the gallbladder negatively affects bile passing and digestion process as well. Gallbladder dysfunction can be related to any gallbladder issue. sometimes gallbladder problems do not seem very serious, but still result in gallbladder dysfunction.

Gallbladder Dysfunction Symptoms

Like we said, the dysfunction of gallbladder results in other gastrointestinal issues. the symptoms of gallbladder dysfunction are: pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and bloating. Pain occurs within the right quadrant of the abdomen. it can last up to several hours, even for a few days! Nausea and vomiting are commonly seen in patients with gallbladder problems. it mostly happens after a heavy and/or large meal. If several symptoms occur all at once, it can indicate severe conditions of the bile duct. when it comes to foods that contain fats, gallbladder dysfunction can negatively affect one’s tolerance towards these types of foods. still, it is important to say that all of these symptoms can also be indicators of other health issues that are not related only to gallbladder, but other organs as well.

Gallbladder Dysfunction Treatment

Gallbladder problems are detected using a few diagnostic tests like hepatobiliary scintigraphy, ultrasound, CT scan. Bile duct examination is called cholangiography. ERCP is one more test used in diagnosing problems related to bile duct, liver and gallbladder. Gallbladder dysfunction treatment highly depends on a patient’s age, but also his/her general health and medical history. If there have been any medical issues before, or a patient still has health problems – that must be taken into consideration when prescribing therapy.

If gallbladder dysfunction is caused by gallstones, a patient will probably be prescribed oral medicines. If a gallbladder is inflamed, doctor can prescribe antibiotics. but in some cases, the only solution turns out to be gallbladder removal. although we know enough about this organ, we still do not know enough about what causes gallbladder problems and gallstones forming in the body.  but we know that life style and eating habits can highly contribute to development of gallbladder diseases. Poor quality foods high in fats, fast food and oily foods in general can lead to gallbladder problems. People who suffer from obesity, alcoholism and diabetes (as well as smokers) are at risk.

Tags: Dysfunction, Gallbladder

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