What is gallbladder disease?

Many people never heard about gallbladder disease or what could go wrong with it. However, your gallbladder is quite a complicated organ that can have many issues leading to gallbladder problems. The most common reason found for this is our bodies may not always process cholesterol in the foods we eat because of a gallbladder infection. And because that infection is inside of us it is not always easy to detect. However, there is more to the reasons behind gallbladder problems than just that.

For instance, the American Cancer Society claims that 80% of all gallbladder cancers and 95% of all bile duct cancers are adenocarcinomas. This means that there is cancer in the cells that normally line the ducts and glands of your gallbladder. Furthermore, the society tells us that in particular, bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) will be caused from the mucus glands that line the ducts, and this cancer can happen in any area of your bile duct.

However, having cancer in your gallbladder and bile ducts is very rare. In fact, here are some other statistics from the American Cancer Society;

• 3,000 people in America will get bile duct cancer
• 6,000 to 7,000 Americans will be diagnosed with gallbladder cancer
• Gallbladder cancer happens more in women
• If a person has gallstones then they are a bit more at risk for getting bile duct or gallbladder cancer
• You will see bile duct cancer more often in Asia
• These cancers also have been associated with infections like those of liver fluke parasite, sclerosing cholangitis, ulcerative colitis, and cirrhosis

Furthermore, to put the statistics in the form of groups of people you will find that those that get gallbladder problems most are;

• Women that are in their 40’s
• After pregnancy
• Both men and women that are overweight
• Those that eat a lot of dairy products, animal fats and fried foods
• Those at hereditary risk

How does Gallbladder work?

You will find that your gallbladder is shaped like a pear and is about the size of a golf ball. Your gallbladder is positioned just to the right of your liver. And you should think of it as a container with the sole purpose of collecting and concentrating bile. The bile that it works with is a natural substance needed to digest the fats in the food that you eat. The bile itself is clear and golden yellow in color. Furthermore, your bile is made in your liver and just temporarily stored in the container that is your gallbladder.

The way that your gallbladder works is that after you have eaten, the food that contains fat will travel down near your gallbladder which then releases the bile it stores. In fact, the bile will travel through the bile ducts (bile ducts are also known as cystic and common bile ducts) down to your small intestines where it is deposited on fatty foods to aid digestion.

Furthermore, it is found that the problems with your gallbladder are usually caused when you have gallstones. These stones will form when the chemical mixture in your gallbladder is out of sorts, and this mixture will then turn into solid forms of sediments. And you will find that these sediments will grow larger and become gallstones. In addition, if the gallstone is large enough and flows into your cystic duct then it can cause a blockage of the flow of bile out of your gallbladder. This can then cause a flow of black bile and can then become infected.

Symptoms Can Include;

• Acute pain in or around the right side or central area of your abdomen most common after meals
• Pain moving from that area over to your right shoulder or back shoulder blades
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Fever
• Jaundice