Gallstones - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Gallstones. Gallstones are hardened deposits of bile that can form in your gallbladder. Bile is a digestive fluid produced in your liver and ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforGallstonesSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print Overview Gallstones Openpop-updialogbox Close Gallstones Gallstones Gallstonesarehardeneddepositsofbilethatcanforminyourgallbladder.Bileisadigestivefluidproducedinyourliverandstoredinyourgallbladder.Whenyoueat,yourgallbladdercontractsandemptiesbileintoyoursmallintestine(duodenum). Gallstonesarehardeneddepositsofdigestivefluidthatcanforminyourgallbladder.Yourgallbladderisasmall,pear-shapedorganontherightsideofyourabdomen,justbeneathyourliver.Thegallbladderholdsadigestivefluidcalledbilethat'sreleasedintoyoursmallintestine. Gallstonesrangeinsizefromassmallasagrainofsandtoaslargeasagolfball.Somepeopledevelopjustonegallstone,whileothersdevelopmanygallstonesatthesametime. Peoplewhoexperiencesymptomsfromtheirgallstonesusuallyrequiregallbladderremovalsurgery.Gallstonesthatdon'tcauseanysignsandsymptomstypicallydon'tneedtreatment.Products&ServicesBook:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealth SymptomsGallstonesmaycausenosignsorsymptoms.Ifagallstonelodgesinaductandcausesablockage,theresultingsignsandsymptomsmayinclude: Suddenandrapidlyintensifyingpainintheupperrightportionofyourabdomen Suddenandrapidlyintensifyingpaininthecenterofyourabdomen,justbelowyourbreastbone Backpainbetweenyourshoulderblades Paininyourrightshoulder Nauseaorvomiting Gallstonepainmaylastseveralminutestoafewhours. WhentoseeadoctorMakeanappointmentwithyourdoctorifyouhaveanysignsorsymptomsthatworryyou. Seekimmediatecareifyoudevelopsignsandsymptomsofaseriousgallstonecomplication,suchas: Abdominalpainsointensethatyoucan'tsitstillorfindacomfortableposition Yellowingofyourskinandthewhitesofyoureyes(jaundice) Highfeverwithchills RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. GetthelatesthealthinformationfromMayoClinicdeliveredtoyourinbox. Subscribeforfreeandreceiveyourin-depthguideto digestivehealth,plusthelatestonhealthinnovationsandnews.Youcanunsubscribeatany time. Emailaddress ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress Subscribe LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. 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Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry CausesIt'snotclearwhatcausesgallstonestoform.Doctorsthinkgallstonesmayresultwhen: Yourbilecontainstoomuchcholesterol.Normally,yourbilecontainsenoughchemicalstodissolvethecholesterolexcretedbyyourliver.Butifyourliverexcretesmorecholesterolthanyourbilecandissolve,theexcesscholesterolmayformintocrystalsandeventuallyintostones. Yourbilecontainstoomuchbilirubin.Bilirubinisachemicalthat'sproducedwhenyourbodybreaksdownredbloodcells.Certainconditionscauseyourlivertomaketoomuchbilirubin,includinglivercirrhosis,biliarytractinfectionsandcertainblooddisorders.Theexcessbilirubincontributestogallstoneformation. Yourgallbladderdoesn'temptycorrectly.Ifyourgallbladderdoesn'temptycompletelyoroftenenough,bilemaybecomeveryconcentrated,contributingtotheformationofgallstones. TypesofgallstonesTypesofgallstonesthatcanforminthegallbladderinclude: Cholesterolgallstones.Themostcommontypeofgallstone,calledacholesterolgallstone,oftenappearsyellowincolor.Thesegallstonesarecomposedmainlyofundissolvedcholesterol,butmaycontainothercomponents. Pigmentgallstones.Thesedarkbrownorblackstonesformwhenyourbilecontainstoomuchbilirubin. RiskfactorsFactorsthatmayincreaseyourriskofgallstonesinclude: Beingfemale Beingage40orolder BeingaNativeAmerican BeingaHispanicofMexicanorigin Beingoverweightorobese Beingsedentary Beingpregnant Eatingahigh-fatdiet Eatingahigh-cholesteroldiet Eatingalow-fiberdiet Havingafamilyhistoryofgallstones Havingdiabetes Havingcertainblooddisorders,suchassicklecellanemiaorleukemia Losingweightveryquickly Takingmedicationsthatcontainestrogen,suchasoralcontraceptivesorhormonetherapydrugs Havingliverdisease ComplicationsComplicationsofgallstonesmayinclude: Inflammationofthegallbladder.Agallstonethatbecomeslodgedintheneckofthegallbladdercancauseinflammationofthegallbladder(cholecystitis).Cholecystitiscancauseseverepainandfever. Blockageofthecommonbileduct.Gallstonescanblockthetubes(ducts)throughwhichbileflowsfromyourgallbladderorlivertoyoursmallintestine.Severepain,jaundiceandbileductinfectioncanresult. Blockageofthepancreaticduct.Thepancreaticductisatubethatrunsfromthepancreasandconnectstothecommonbileductjustbeforeenteringtheduodenum.Pancreaticjuices,whichaidindigestion,flowthroughthepancreaticduct. Agallstonecancauseablockageinthepancreaticduct,whichcanleadtoinflammationofthepancreas(pancreatitis).Pancreatitiscausesintense,constantabdominalpainandusuallyrequireshospitalization. Gallbladdercancer.Peoplewithahistoryofgallstoneshaveanincreasedriskofgallbladdercancer.Butgallbladdercancerisveryrare,soeventhoughtheriskofcanceriselevated,thelikelihoodofgallbladdercancerisstillverysmall. PreventionYoucanreduceyourriskofgallstonesifyou: Don'tskipmeals.Trytosticktoyourusualmealtimeseachday.Skippingmealsorfastingcanincreasetheriskofgallstones. Loseweightslowly.Ifyouneedtoloseweight,goslow.Rapidweightlosscanincreasetheriskofgallstones.Aimtolose1or2pounds(about0.5to1kilogram)aweek. Eatmorehigh-fiberfoods.Includemorefiber-richfoodsinyourdiet,suchasfruits,vegetablesandwholegrains. Maintainahealthyweight.Obesityandbeingoverweightincreasetheriskofgallstones.Worktoachieveahealthyweightbyreducingthenumberofcaloriesyoueatandincreasingtheamountofphysicalactivityyouget.Onceyouachieveahealthyweight,worktomaintainthatweightbycontinuingyourhealthydietandcontinuingtoexercise. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Aug.20,2021 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Cholelithiasis.MerckManualProfessionalVersion.https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hepatic-and-biliary-disorders/gallbladder-and-bile-duct-disorders/cholelithiasis.AccessedJune16,2021. Gallstones.NationalInstituteofDiabetesandDigestiveandKidneyDiseases.https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones?dkrd=hispt0204.AccessedJune16,2021. Gallstones.AmericanGastroenterologicalAssociation.https://gastro.org/practice-guidance/gi-patient-center/topic/gallstones/.AccessedJune16,2021. FeldmanM,etal.,eds.Gallstonedisease.In:SleisengerandFordtran'sGastrointestinalandLiverDisease:Pathophysiology,Diagnosis,Management.11thed.Elsevier;2021.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedJune16,2021. RajanE(expertopinion).MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.July22,2019. Related Gallbladdercleanse:A'natural'remedyforgallstones? Gallstones AssociatedProcedures Abdominalultrasound Cholecystectomy(gallbladderremoval) CTscan HIDAscan MRI Showmoreassociatedprocedures Products&Services Book:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealth GallstonesSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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