Four Gallbladder Symptoms That May Surprise You
The gallbladder is small, oblong organ located just under the liver.
Due to it’s location, experiencing gallbladder pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdominal area may not be particularly surprising. However, there are some surprising gallbladder symptoms that you may not recognize right away.
Since many of the common symptoms associated with a gallbladder attack are similar to indigestion, it is useful to know the difference. Commonly, gallstone sufferers feel nauseated after meals, as well as gassy and bloated. People often chalk this up to indigestion, but it may be the case that there is an underlying gallbladder problem.
Surprising gallbladder symptoms include:
Shoulder Pain
Aside from abdominal pain, those who are experiencing gallbladder problems may also experience sharp pains in the shoulder area.
This type of pain is typically felt as a radiating pain either in between the shoulder blades or just under the right shoulder. This is due to its location under the right ribcage, where a swollen gallbladder can place pressure on the right phrenic nerve. When this happens, there can be resulting nerve pain that travels up to the right shoulder.
Fever And Chills
Although indigestion, bloating and nausea are symptoms that are often expected when it comes to gallbladder problems, many people are unaware that fever and chills may also indicate a serious gallbladder problem.
In conjunction with any other symptoms, fever is particularly important to look out for, as it usually signals the presence of an infection. A sudden temperature spike could be indicative of a gallbladder rupture, or the development of a bloodstream infection which requires medical attention.
Change In Bowel Movements
Frequent, unexplained bouts of diarrhea are somewhat expected when it comes to an underlying gallbladder issue. This is also an important symptom to look out for as it may signal a chronic gallbladder disease. However, a symptom that may surprise you is a change in the color of stools to light or chalky in nature. This usually occurs when there is a blockage of bile flow caused by gallstones.
Jaundice
A lesser-known symptom that may be due to an underlying gallbladder problem, is the yellowing of the skin and eyes, caused by jaundice. Jaundice occurs as a response to high levels of bilirubin in the blood. In cases where the bile ducts are blocked, the high concentration of bilirubin may result in jaundice and skin itching.
The good news is, that for those who experience mild gallbladder pain, safe natural remedies and lifestyle changes can help with restoration of good gallbladder function.
Cutting out the consumption of highly processed, fatty and greasy foods and replacing these with fresh, raw and lean foods rich in fibre can greatly help to alleviate gallbladder symptoms and prevent further issues from developing.
Choosing a healthy and balanced diet along with frequent physical activity and exercise, is a great way to boost the health of your digestive system and promote the overall health of the liver and gallbladder.
