Only about one-third of people with gallstones will have a gallstone attack or serious symptoms. A gallbladder attack is a medical emergency that requires immediate care.
Gallbladder attacks can cause severe pain and serious complications. Find out how long they last, how they can be prevented and when to go to the emergency room.
Ever feel pain in your upper right belly? Find out how to tell if you have gallstones or other problems with your gallbladder.
Gallstones are hard pieces of material that can form in your gallbladder. Learn about causes and treatment for this sometimes painful digestive disorder.
In some cases, a gallbladder attack occurs when a gallstone obstructs one of the bile ducts, causing bile to back up in the gallbladder. This blockage leads to sudden, sharp, and intense pain in the upper-right abdomen, just beneath the ribcage, as the gallbladder becomes distended and inflamed.
Most gallbladder attacks last a few hours, with worse pain at the beginning. The gallbladder attack is usually a combination of the following: nausea, with or without vomiting, pain (sharp, cramping, or dull) in the right upper or middle abdomen in the evening, before bedtime, or after a heavy meal.