What is the gallbladder? The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located below the liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by the liver to digest fats.
Symptoms of the affected gallbladder
When the stomach and intestines digest food, the gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. This duct connects the gallbladder and liver to the small intestine.
1. Dizziness
See how you feel in the middle of the afternoon, especially after two hours of having your lunch or the main meal of the day. It is the moment when our digestion must have finished. If you feel weak, nauseous and dizzy, then it is best to sit down and put your hand on your abdomen. Is it hard? Do you burp easily?
If, in addition to poor digestion, you notice dizziness and nausea as every day, it is likely that we have a gallbladder problem.
2. Gas and bloating
One of the roles that the gallbladder plays is to help us in the digestive process , therefore, when there is some kind of problem and the gallbladder does not channel the bile properly , or is inflamed or even obstructed, it is common for us to begin to feel that our digestions are heavier, we feel bloated and slower .
Continuous gas and belching are very common. To be truly meaningful, these symptoms must occur frequently each day. It is normal to feel bad an isolated day, even two. But when ten days in a row go by and you see how your abdomen is still swollen and hardened, it is recommended that you consult a specialist.
3. Punctual pain in the back, abdomen and right arm
One of the characteristics is the sensation of abdominal heaviness, and a pain that extends as much in the right part of the back as in the arm of that same side. The gallbladder is located on the right side of the abdomen and next to the liver. If it becomes inflamed, that entire area will be affected, and the pain is very particular.
Take into account, for example, that sometimes, the pain can start suddenly and in the form of an attack if it were, for example, a gallstone. An intense pain that can last 15 minutes, then disappears and reappears, a situation that can last up to 15 hours. The pain may be worse with breathing.
Depending on the number of stones or the involvement of the organ, the pain can be very strong and extend to the shoulder blade.
4. Pay attention to your urine and stool
We know, it is not pleasant to pay attention to our privacy when we are in the bathroom, but we assure you that it is essential to observe the hue of the urine to warn of possible illnesses. If the urine is very white, and the stool is very gray, without too much color and somewhat loose, then it is associated with a gallbladder problem, precisely due to a low level of bile.
It is also common for people with gallbladder problems to suffer numerous episodes of diarrhea. We must take it into account.
5. Bad breath and fever
If you notice that you have started to feel a discomfort in your mouth, a strange taste and an unpleasant breath that you cannot get rid of, take note of how long it lasts. If your breath is not normal, and you have been suffering from it for more than a week, and in addition or together you raise a few tenths of a fever, you should consider consulting a specialist.
The fever is usually had in the morning and in the late afternoon. It is enough that you have two or tenths so that you must show it to your doctor.
6. Yellowing of the skin
A yellowish color may appear on the skin or in the eyes . It is known as jaundice, and it is basically due to some gallstones blocking the bile duct, causing the bile to flow back to the liver , and from there to the bloodstream.
Faced with any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to consult a specialist.