The Gallbladder Is a Hard Working Part of the Body

The gallbladder is an organ that is often overlooked within the body. It sits under the organ and is responsible for storing the bile that the liver creates. When a person eats a meal, the gallbladder will release the bile it has been storing into the digestive tract to help assist with digestion (specifically with fats). It does this through a series of ducts.

For some people, the gallbladder isn’t a necessary part of the body. If there’s a need for removal, then it’s possible through surgery. While that bile won’t be released, it will usually mean that fat isn’t properly absorbed and the person suffers from more diarrhea. While this is certainly not an ideal scenario, it can be more desirable than suffering from a major gallbladder problem. This article will focus on the various aspects of the gallbladder, specifically the common problems and the symptoms that may show off a gallbladder issue. 

Signs and Symptoms of Potential Gallbladder Issues

There’s quite a few issues that can occur in the gallbladder and these will be explored in a later section of this article. Just as there are several issues, there are many different symptoms that can occur. Most of the time, the symptoms may mimic those of gallstones. Common symptoms of gallbladder problems include: 

• Fatigue
• Jaundice
• Abdominal Pain
• Chills
• Fevers
• Losing Weight
• Night Sweats
• Itching
• Light Colored Stool
• Greasy Stool
• Dark Urine

Common Gallbladder Problems

The gallbladder can suffer from a variety of different issues. Many of them come from gallstones and the complications if gallstones don’t behave properly. Some of the conditions to look out for include: 

• Gallstones - Sometimes, the bile in the gallbladder can crystalize into gallstones. The reason behind this isn’t fully known. If they remain small, it’s typically a harmless condition. However, if the gallstones become too large they can become very sore and cause inflammation or nausea. 
• Gallbladder Cancer - Like most parts of the body, it’s possible for the gallbladder to end up suffering from cancer. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to diagnose gallbladder cancer and the symptoms are the same as gallstones, making it look like a less intrusive issue. 
• Gallstone Pancreatitis - Sometimes a gallstone can become impacted. In turn, this will block the duct which allows the pancreas to drain. 
• Cholecystitis - This is a gallbladder infection that is usually caused due to a gallstone that won’t leave the gallbladder. This issue can require surgery to remove it. 

Issues With Gallbladder Removal

As mentioned before, it’s possible that the gallbladder can be removed if necessary. This is most likely in cases of cancer or severe cholecystitis. While complications aren’t always common, there can be some rare cases of severe complications. It’s possible the bile duct may be damaged or bile can leak into an abdominal cavity when it shouldn’t. Infections or blood clots could occur as well. 

Diet does need to change after the gallbladder is removed. High fiber foods and fatty foods can be tough to digest. Most people are required to have a change of diet to small meals which reduce the amount of these foods within them. They need to be slowly reintroduced into the body over time to prevent issues.