Gallbladder Pain: What Does a Gallbladder Attack Feel Like?
If you or someone close to you have ever suffered a gallbladder attack you know that the pain can be unforgettable and some people even mistake it for signs of a heart attack due to pain radiating to the upper chest and shoulders. Understanding the function of our gallbladder and causes for gallbladder pain are important and learning about ways to prevent or remove gallstones will help ensure that you don’t suffer needlessly from gallbladder attacks.
The gallbladder is a small oblong organ located below the liver. It plays a key role in our digestive process as it stores and concentrates the bile, which is created by our liver. Bile is a greenish-brown bitter liquid consisting of cholesterol, bilirubin and bile salts and this solution allows us to break down fats and digest them effectively.
When we eat a meal containing fat, hormones in the gut signal the release of specific volumes and concentrations of bile into the small intestine. The gallbladder contracts to squeeze out the required amount of bile. Due to ineffective emptying, high levels of cholesterol or reduced bile flow, sometimes small hardened deposits of cholesterol or bilirubin collect in the gallbladder.
These are referred to as gallstones and they can range in size from small particles to large marbles. They may go unnoticed for many people but over time they will lead to inefficient bile management, irritation and inflammatory changes to the gallbladder tissue and potentially blocked bile ducts. It is the duct blockages with gallstones, which cause biliary colic- otherwise known as a painful, gallbladder attack.
Gallbladder Attack
A gallbladder attack may last anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. The gallbladder pain may begin as a dull ache under the ribs on the right side of the abdomen or sharp pain which makes breathing difficult. For some, the pain is relieved by walking. The stone will usually move as contractions and bile flow change over time or will pass through the digestive system.
Gallbladder Pain
Gallbladder pain typically radiates upward, through to the back or to one or both shoulders. A gallbladder attack will often occur an hour or more after eating a high fat or fried meal and may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting.
Gallbladder attacks often occur in the middle of the night and may wake you up from sleep. They may recur after a week or may be spaced many years apart. Often when people have a gallbladder attack for the first time, this is when they will visit their doctor and confirm gallstone diagnosis with ultrasound imaging.
Gallbladder Infection
A gallbladder infection may also occur if a gallstone blocks a duct which transports bile from the gallbladder to the intestines and it is not able to clear on its own. This can be a serious medical problem leading to gallbladder rupture and the potential for septic, (bloodstream) infection.
Gallbladder attack discomfort resolves on its own. Other, serious signs to watch for should prompt you to seek medical attention if they appear. These include fever, chills, severe pain which persists longer than 6 hours and yellow skin or eyes know as jaundice. An infection of the gallbladder will typically cause severe pain originating from the center or right upper abdomen. Over time, the pain increases and moves to other areas, rather than resolving. Rapid breathing, confusion or heart palpitations could indicate active blood infection and constitute a medical emergency. Stools or urine with unusual color, can be a sign of a blockage in the bile duct as well.
Gallbladder pain can be stopped and prevented via The Pulverexx Protocol.