What are Gallstones?

Sitting next to your liver is the gallbladder, a small sac that stores bile. After you eat, the gallbladder releases bile into your GI tract to help you digest.

Gallstones are what happens when the substances in your bile –cholesterol and a waste product known as bilirubin – become too concentrated and form a stone.

Sometimes these stones just stay in the gallbladder without any problems. Other times, they block the exit from the gallbladder, causing it to become inflamed. This can progress to a more serious bacterial infection in the gallbladder.

Risk factors for gallstones include a family history of gallstones, high cholesterol, diabetes, pregnancy, obesity and a high-fat, low-fiber diet.

What are the Symptoms of Gallstones?

Like we said earlier, it’s common to have a gallstone without any painful symptoms. In other cases, symptoms can include:

• Pain in the upper right abdomen or between the shoulder blades

• Pain beneath the right shoulder blade

• Fever with chills

• Vomiting and nausea

• Indigestion, gas or bloating

• Pain after a heavy meal

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) • Dark urine or clay-colored stool