Publisher's Synopsis
PREVIEW
Your gallbladder is one of those organs that you probably don't think too much about - unless something goes wrong.
Its main function is to store bile, which helps the body break down and digest the fats that you eat. It doesn't produce the bile - the liver does that and sends it into your small intestine via the common bile duct during meals. As the small intestine does its job, most bile travels to the gallbladder, where it is stored until needed again. Then, when you eat fatty foods, your gallbladder releases the bile into the small intestine, where it's mixed with partially digested food. (1)
Gallbladder problems are usually due to a blockage in your bile ducts, the tubes that let bile travel between your liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. The most common source of blockage is gallstones (cholelithiasis), which develop when substances in bile crystallize. (2) If you have gallstones or another problem with your gallbladder, you may develop abdominal pain that can range from mild to excruciating. These attacks can last from 30 minutes to several hours. (3)
The gallbladder is located in the right upper area of your abdomen. "If there are any problems, typically the person complains of pain in that location, right below the ribs," explains Tomasz Rogula, MD, PhD, president of the International Bariatric Club and a professor of surgery at the Jagiellonian University in Poland.
If a gallstone completely blocks the flow of bile to the gallbladder or small intestine, you may experience the following symptoms, in addition to pain
