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It usually occurs in the mid to upper-right section of your abdomen. Sometimes it can be difficult to understand all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot. Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of information to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared.
Certain hormones, diseases such as diabetes and cirrhosis and rapid weight loss can increase the risk of gallstones. When you eat, the gallbladder emits bile into the small intestine to break down fats so that they can be taken up properly by the digestive system. If the gallbladder doesn’t empty properly, the bile can become too concentrated. Excess cholesterol or bilirubin in the liquid can solidify into gallstones.
What conditions affect the gallbladder?
Gallbladder disease can cause inflammation, infection and/or blockage of the bile ducts, especially if a gallstone passes from the gallbladder into the bile ducts. Any one of these things also tends to cause the others to follow. Over time, this can cause scarring and narrowing of the bile ducts, which will cause long-term bile flow problems. Native South American cultures have been using herbs to dissolve them for centuries. Gallbladder symptoms can be mistaken for heartburn or even food poisoning. While very effective in diagnosing even very small gallstones, it can't always clearly diagnose cholecystitis .
Unexplained and frequent diarrhea after meals can be a sign of chronic Gallbladder disease. Stools may become light-colored or chalky if bile ducts are obstructed. A gallbladder scan is a type of nuclear medicine procedure. This means that a tiny amount of a radioactive substance is used during the procedure to assist in the examination of the gallbladder. The radioactive substance, called a radionuclide , is absorbed by normal gallbladder tissue. A gallbladder scan is a specialized radiology procedure used to assess the function and structure of the gallbladder.
Pain and other symptoms of a gallbladder problem
It’s an effective way to find stones or growths in your bile ducts, but it might not pick up on small stones or infections. In some cases, an MRI can serve as a follow-up test after an ultrasound. Your treatment will likely depend on the results of your imaging tests. If your gallstones were detected via imaging, but without presenting symptoms, your healthcare provider might advise you to wait and see if symptoms develop. Gallstones without symptoms, also known as silent gallstones, usually do not require treatment.
These symptoms have many possible causes that don’t necessarily point to the gallbladder. In the case of gallbladder cancer, you might have chronic inflammation with mild jaundice, but no pain. The vague nature of these symptoms, without alarming pain levels, can cause chronic cholecystitis to go undiagnosed, causing long-term damage. A computed tomography scan of your abdomen may also reveal signs of gallbladder disease, like gallbladder wall swelling or fat stranding.
What are the 5 Fs of gallbladder disease?
If your health professional suspects a gallbladder issue, they might order several different tests. Many patients require multiple tests to verify findings. For example, your doctor might first order an ultrasound, followed by an MRI. Before you undergo anultrasound for gallbladder issues, the technologist might ask you to fast overnight or longer. For the test, you’ll lie face-up so they can apply a specialized gel to your abdomen. The gel prevents air pockets from forming between the reading device — also called a transducer — and your skin.
This is the most commonly used of the diagnostic tests for gallbladder problems. While very effective in diagnosing even very small gallstones, it can’t always clearly diagnose cholecystitis . A hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan is an imaging procedure used to diagnose problems of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. The gallbladder is a small pouch located under the liver, and it contracts to release its contents through the common bile duct, into the intestine where it mixes with food. An inflamed or blocked gallbladder will have difficulty functioning and build up pressure and irritation. Pressure in the gallbladder, ducts and the nerves that surround them cause biliary colic.
How Doctors Diagnose Kidney Stones
If you have symptoms of gallbladder disease or suspect that this organ doesn’t function as well as it should, find a doctor that specializes in liver and gallbladder conditions. A gallbladder attack usually happens when you have a blockage, large stones, a tumor or severe inflammation. The pain may start suddenly and feel like a sharp stab, a dull ache or cramps. The steady pain may occur after meals and spread to the area underneath the right shoulder blade. Symptoms of an acute dysfunction include fever, chills, jaundice and grayish stools. Another way to identify gallbladder concerns is throughmagnetic resonance imaging.
Several different tests for gallbladder issues are available depending on the suspected condition. It’s wise to learn about various gallbladder imaging tests — but first, you’ll need to understand what your gallbladder is and what concerns are possible. Sometimes symptoms of gallstones can overlap with other conditions. Because of this, your healthcare provider will need to rule these other disorders out before diagnosing you with gallstones. The lab and imaging tests discussed above can help distinguish these conditions from one another.
Morphine, another drug sometimes given during a HIDA scan, makes the gallbladder easier to visualize. Tell your doctor if there's a chance you could be pregnant or if you're breastfeeding. In most cases, nuclear medicine tests, such as the HIDA scan, aren't performed in pregnant women because of potential harm to the baby. Learning to recognize the symptoms can help you identify the problem as well as assess your situation so that the proper gallbladder treatment may be chosen. You may resume your usual diet and activities, unless your doctor advises you differently. Your doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.
While serious complications are rare, it’s important to know what to look out for. It's time to get the proper treatment and care you deserve. If gallbladder trouble is suspected, the medical professional may conduct a gallbladder test. If this process doesn’t operate properly, you can develop gallbladder problems. During an MRI, you have to stay still to avoid blurring the images.
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