Associated symptoms
In general, and regardless of where exactly the inflammation occurs, patients complain of right-sided upper abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting, flatulence and a feeling of fullness. Often these pains are also dependent on meals. The inflamed gall bladder becomes noticeable especially after high-fat meals.
Biliary colic is characterized by the fact that the pain is typically projected into the right shoulder region (this complicated mechanism takes place in the spinal cord. The right shoulder as the projection site is the head zone of the gallbladder). In general, the painful cramps can still radiate into the stomach area and back.When the gall bladder is inflamed without the involvement of the ducts, fever and other alarming symptoms such as blood poisoning also occur.
Since it is based on a stone that tends to be larger and cannot leave the gallbladder, there is a very specific point of pain in the right upper abdomen that can also be provoked (Murphy’s sign, see: Diagnosis of an inflammation of the gallbladder). This is not the case with gallstone disease of the ducts (choledocholithiasis). Although the painful cramps are also strong and wavelike, the pressure pain is rather diffuse, but most likely belt-like.
If a gall stone obstructs the bile duct in such a way that the bile fluid can no longer flow into the intestine, so-called jaundice (icterus) occurs. The skin and conjunctiva of the eyes turns yellow, the affected persons complain of itching of the skin and notice a discolored stool with dark urine (most likely rust-red, brownish). In the case of inflammation of the bile ducts (cholangitis), the above-mentioned complaints are also present, but only in combination. In general, patients suffering from biliary colic are extremely painful, have a reduced appetite and lack performance. Depending on the complications, symptoms of blood poisoning (sepsis) may also occur.
Duration
In the mild form, symptoms are found mainly after meals without further complaints. These are then reduced between meals. In more severe and acute forms of the disease, only a dietary leave brings a subtle improvement in symptoms. The cramps disappear only after adequate antibiotic and/or surgical therapy.
