Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease
Are you suffering with gallbladder disease and gallstones? Most Americans do not pay any attention to their gallbladder until they start suffering from painful symptoms. Ignoring the symptoms of gallbladder disease can lead to serious complications like pain and a much poorer quality of life. While gallbladder disease can be a serious and debilitating issue, there are solutions and treatments available – with one of the most effective being gallbladder surgery.
What Is Gallbladder Disease?
The gallbladder is an organ in our body that is located in the abdomen. It stores and concentrates bile, a dark yellow fluid produced by your liver that helps you digest fat and eliminate waste from your body. When you eat food and it passes through your stomach, the gallbladder releases bile to help with digestion. The bile goes through the common bile duct into your small intestine and begins digesting fats.
Too much cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin in the bile can cause gallstones to develop, which can block the flow of bile, specifically at the common bile duct. Your gallbladder can become inflamed and painful. If you consistently have blocked bile ducts and pain, you can develop chronic gallbladder disease and suffer from a reduced quality of life.
Common Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease
The most common symptom of gallbladder disease is biliary colic. Usually occurring after a fatty meal, biliary colic causes an intense, dull pain in your upper right abdomen. Gallbladder disease may also produce the following symptoms:
- Jaundice
- Chronic nausea or vomiting
- Pain in the right shoulder
- Fever and chills
- Severe, intense abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Bloating
Seek medical attention immediately if you suffer from fever with chills or severe, intense pain.
What Do Doctors Often Mistake Gallbladder Disease For?
Without proper treatment from a specialist, you may receive a delayed diagnosis for your gallbladder disease. You can often mistake gallbladder symptoms for indigestion or heart disease. Doctors may also diagnose gallbladder disease as routine stomach pain and other issues that lead to those common symptoms. However, a gastroenterologist should be able to properly diagnose your gallbladder disease.
Treatment Options for Gallbladder Disease
Treatment for gallbladder disease will depend on the extent and type of problem you are suffering from. Some small gallstones can be broken up with medications or the use of shock waves (lithotripsy). These treatments are not always effective, and even when they are, they do not prevent additional problems from arising in the future. Surgically removing the diseased organ is a reliable way to stop gallbladder pain and prevent additional gallstones from developing in the future. Those who refuse or delay surgery put themselves at risk for a perforated gallbladder, a serious, life-threatening condition.
Surgery for Gallbladder Disease
You do not need a gallbladder to have a normal, healthy life. After gallbladder removal surgery, the body adapts and bile travels directly to the liver instead. Patients who have their diseased gallbladder removed usually report instant relief from their symptoms.
Are you suffering from gallbladder disease in the Dallas Fort Worth area? Surgery is your best option for treatment. Contact Dr. Malladi at Malladi Bariatrics and Advanced Surgery to schedule your gallbladder surgery and learn more about your treatment options.
