Gallbladder pain worse when lying down: Best Sleeping Position for Gallbladder Pain

17.07.202303.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Best Sleeping Position for Gallbladder Pain

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Kathryn Watson on September 30, 2021

The gallbladder is a small digestive organ that stores bile. Bile is what your body uses to digest fat, and it’s usually released from your gallbladder into your small intestine.

When the chemical balance of bile is off, bile can crystallize into small protein deposits called gallstones. Gallstones can block the bile duct and cause what’s sometimes called a gallbladder attack or biliary colic.

It’s estimated that over 20 million Americans have had or will develop gallstones. These attacks can cause symptoms of severe pain in your upper abdomen. Sometimes this pain lasts for hours.

Resting or sleeping in certain positions may help relieve your gallbladder pain. There are also at-home strategies you can try while you wait to see if the pain resolves. We’ll cover the best sleep positions during a gallbladder attack, what to avoid while you’re in pain, and how to know when to seek emergency help.

When you’re experiencing gallbladder pain, you should sleep on your left side.

Sleeping or resting on your left side allows your gallbladder to freely contract and expand until the blockage of your bile duct has cleared. The theory is that this can help resolve pain.

While this is conventional wisdom, keep in mind that most of the evidence for it is anecdotal. There is currently no research that compares the pain level of different reclining positions when you are having gallbladder pain.

If you’re experiencing any type of gallbladder pain, you may want to avoid sleeping on your right side. That’s because your liver and gallbladder are both located on the right side of your body. Sleeping on the right side can constrict your gallbladder and can make it harder for a gallbladder stone to pass. The added pressure of sleeping on your right side may even make gallbladder pain worse.

You may also want to avoid sleeping on your back or stomach. These positions may not feel comfortable until the pain of your blocked bile duct has passed.

There are other pain relief remedies you can try when you’re in pain from a blocked bile duct.

While lying on your left side, try a warm compress to reduce pressure and soothe pain. A hot water bottle or heating pad can work well for this purpose.
Drink soothing peppermint tea to alleviate pain and calm spasms in your gallbladder.
Consider taking a magnesium supplement or mixing magnesium powder with warm water. Magnesium may help empty your gallbladder and provide relief from gallbladder attacks.

Gallbladder pain can be a sign that you need medical help. Call a doctor or go to the emergency room if you notice any of the following symptoms occurring along with your gallbladder pain.

severe pain in your abdomen that lasts for several hours
nausea and vomiting
yellowed tinge to your skin or eyes (jaundice)
fever and chills
light colored stool
dark urine

Gallbladder pain is relatively common and is usually caused by gallstones that block your bile duct. Resting or sleeping on your left side can help manage pain caused by gallstones if you have a clogged bile duct.

You may also want to try other home remedies for pain relief. Severe symptoms should not be ignored and could indicate a health emergency. Speak with a doctor if you are concerned about gallstones and gallbladder pain.

Last medically reviewed on September 30, 2021

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

DiBiase J. (2014). Evaluation and management of functional biliary pain in patients with an intact gallbladder.
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/egh.09.17
Galled by the gallbladder? (2015).
newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/02/galled-gallbladder
Johnson CD. (2001). Upper abdominal pain: Gall bladder.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1121646/
Symptoms and causes of gallstones.
niddk. nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones/symptoms-causes

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Sep 30, 2021

Written By

Kathryn Watson

Edited By

jgokhman

Medically Reviewed By

Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C

Copy Edited By

Megan McMorris

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Kathryn Watson on September 30, 2021

Is Your Upper Abdominal Pain Acid Reflux or a Gallbladder Attack?

Have you ever noticed a pain at the top of your stomach, either after eating or when lying down? Two common conditions that cause upper abdominal pain are acid reflux and gallbladder disease. They can have some of the same symptoms. But understanding the differences will make it easier to start a conversation with your doctor so they can help you find the pain relief you need.

A Look at Your Gallbladder

Your gallbladder is located at the top of your upper right abdomen. The small sac is responsible for storing bile produced by your liver. The gallbladder typically functions the way that it is supposed to. However, if it becomes infected or blocked, it can lead to pain and a serious medical condition.

Gallstones are the most common cause of a gallbladder attack. They can block the bile ducts which puts pressure on the gallbladder, causing pain. If you frequently have attacks, there is a chance you’ll need to have your gallbladder removed.

Some of the risk factors for developing gallbladder attacks include:

Heredity – have others in your family had gallbladder attacks?
Being overweight
Hormone imbalances
Pregnancy or recently being pregnant as your hormones return to normal.

Whether you have risk factors or not, you can have a gallbladder attack. If there is too much cholesterol in the bile that is stored in your gallbladder, it can form into small stones that have to pass through the tiny ducts, causing a lot of pain.

If you eat a heavy or greasy meal, it can trigger a gallbladder attack.

The pain is typically intense and located in the upper right part of your abdomen but sometimes may be in the upper center part of your abdomen or even in your chest. It may even spread to the right shoulder or to the right side of your back. Beyond the pain, symptoms can include fever, chills, and diarrhea. Symptoms can last up to a few hours and usually go away on their own.

A Look at Acid Reflux

Acid reflux’s primary symptom is heartburn. GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) occurs when acid reflux becomes chronic. Approximately two out of every five adults are affected by acid reflux. Diet and genetics are a big part of the equation, and age and obesity lead to a higher frequency of acid reflux.

Some of the symptoms you may encounter include not only heartburn but also sleep disruption, chest pain, voice changes, intolerance of certain foods, bloating, coughing and even asthma. The reason for this is because of a weak muscle valve that’s located between the esophagus and stomach. It causes some of the stomach acid to make its way back up your esophagus. Basically, you feel a strong burning sensation at the back of your throat, and sometimes at the base of your esophagus. This is because your esophagus isn’t lined like your stomach which can handle the acids. Acid in the esophagus leads to heartburn.

For those with mild acid reflux, which happens only now and then, treatment can be as simple as managing your diet and elevating your torso when you encounter problems. You can use some over the counter heartburn medications to ease the symptoms.

If you are experiencing acid reflux more than once a week or so, you might try an acid reflux over the counter medication. If you’ve tried various over-the-counter medications and lifestyle modifications but still have the symptoms, it’s best to talk to your doctor. There are some common surgeries available today that can relieve chronic heartburn (GERD) symptoms.

Take a Close Look at Your Abdominal Pain

It’s important to keep track of where your pain is so that your doctor will have more information for a proper diagnosis. Take notes about the following:

Is your abdominal pain every day when you eat, after you eat? At night?
What foods were you recently eating before the pain started?
Where is the pain located?
How long after you’re eating do you start to feel the pain?
Does the pain go away on its own? If so, how long does that typically take?
What did you eat over the past hour or two before you started having pain?

Acid reflux, for most people, will cause pain almost immediately after you eat a meal, or after eating specific foods. If you go to bed soon after eating, it can be aggravated by lying down. It may wake you up at night.

If gallbladder disease is responsible for your pain, it will often occur immediately or few hours after eating. It may also wake you up at night. Greasy and fatty foods can make it worse, but not always.

A change in diet and lifestyle can reduce upper abdominal pain for many people. But GERD and gallbladder disease may require surgery to help relieve the regular pain.

With the symptoms being in a similar area of the body for both acid reflux and gallbladder attacks, you can identify between the two if you know what to look for. However, you may also encounter nonspecific symptoms, such as a dull pain at the base of your stomach. Take note of that as well.

To figure out what you have and how severe it is your doctor may order a number of tests. An ultrasound, an endoscopy, a gallbladder HIDA scan, a ph probe, a manometry and other tests may be run to find the cause of your abdominal pain.

How Treatments for Abdominal Pain Vary

Ultimately, your goal is to be symptom-free by solving the cause of the pain. If you’re experiencing upper abdominal pain more than once a week, or taking acid reflux medications regularly for more than a few weeks at a time, you should consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor. Otherwise, you could end up dealing with the symptoms for months or even years. If you don’t schedule a special appointment, then be sure to mention it during your next regular checkup. If you don’t address the cause, you risk developing additional health conditions or damage to your esophagus and other organs. Generally speaking, the sooner you have a condition treated, the easier it is to solve.

Is Surgery Right for You?

Surgery isn’t the solution for everyone, but for some it can provide life-changing relief. If your doctor thinks it’s the best option, he or she will refer you to a surgeon like Dr. Howard who specializes in reflux and gallbladder surgery.

Acid Reflux Surgeries in The Woodlands

Dr. Howard performs a number of different surgeries, most of them with a short recovery period, depending on the diagnosis. These include:

Laparoscopic acid reflux surgery (Nissen)
TIF (Transoral Nissen fundoplication)
Linx
Hiatal hernia
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal)

Gallbladder Removal Surgery in The Woodlands

You can live a normal life with some diet adjustments without a gallbladder. Living without pain is often a better option than repeated attacks. Such a surgery is known as a cholecystectomy. This gallbladder surgery is done laparoscopically with three to four small incisions to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is removed so that it’s no longer causing you pain. Additionally, you wouldn’t have to worry about an infection or gallstones in the future. The surgery is done as an outpatient surgery and you will return home the same day.

Is Surgery Right for You?

It’s important that you don’t automatically assume you need surgery. It’s an option for those who it can really help. Dr. Howard will always spend time explaining your options and making a recommendation he feels will help you the most. If you’re feeling upper abdominal pain regularly, be sure you’re tracking your symptoms to make it easier to diagnose and focus on a treatment that can give you relief once and for all.

If your doctor has recommended that you see a surgeon or you feel that you need a proper work up to find the right solution to your problem, schedule an appointment with Dr. Howard at our office in The Woodlands for a surgical consultation to find out what is best for you.

Categories: Acid Reflux & GERD

Pain in the right side of the abdomen

General information

Abdominal pain may indicate different causes. It can be both a symptom of the disease, and indigestion. The abdomen is filled with many different organs, tissues and structures. Every organ in the abdomen can get sick, becoming a harbinger of pain.

Increased attention should be paid to the sudden onset of sharp pain in the abdomen. This pain may be the first symptom for immediate medical assistance . Many abdominal organs are hollow: stomach, intestines, gallbladder. And if one of them fails, then your life is in danger. If a sharp sudden pain lasts more than 30 minutes, you should urgently call a doctor or go to the hospital for an examination.

Pain in the right side of the abdomen

Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen . The following organs are located in this area:

Disease or injury to these organs gives you pain in the upper abdomen. The intensity and severity of the pain will depend on what is happening. Pain in the right hypochondrium may be due to inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). The infectious agents that most often attack the liver are viruses. Hence the so-called viral hepatitis .

Hepatitis

There are three main types: viral hepatitis A, B, C. People usually get viral hepatitis A after they swallow food or water contaminated with sewage. Hepatitis B is especially common among homosexuals, drug addicts and those who were in close contact with them.

Hepatitis C is almost always transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions, medical needles and products containing blood. It is especially common among drug addicts.

Various chemicals and drugs can also damage the liver due to their toxicity. This is the so-called toxic hepatitis. The most dangerous nucleus for the liver is alcohol.

Regular alcohol abuse develops alcoholic hepatitis . The liver can also suffer from heart failure, when the heart muscle does not pump the blood that comes to the heart well. Part stagnates in the lungs, resulting in respiratory failure, and part stagnates in the liver, stretching it and causing pain.

Pain in the upper right abdomen (right upper quadrant (or right hypochondrium)) may be related to the gallbladder. It should be noted that bile plays an important role in the body. Bile, which is produced in the liver, helps digest food. Excess bile is stored in the gallbladder. And if you have eaten a lot of fatty foods, then you need a lot of bile to absorb fats. Therefore the gallbladder injects its contents into the intestines. Infection, poor liver function, or gallstones are often responsible for pain in the right upper abdomen.

Pancreatitis

There is also another important organ in the abdomen: the pancreas. The pancreas is a glandular organ deep in the abdominal cavity that secretes digestive enzymes, juices and insulin. The pancreas is extended from right to left. The “head” of the gland is in the upper right quadrant, the “body” crosses the midline of the abdomen, and the “tail” is located in the upper left quadrant.

Most common cause pancreatic pain is an inflammation (pancreatitis) to which alcoholics and people suffering from gallbladder disease are particularly predisposed. The attack of acute pancreatitis has a number of features. First, the attack is extremely painful, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and profuse sweating. The pain radiates straight to the back. Increases in the supine position.

Diagnosis usually requires confirmation by laboratory tests, to determine the content of certain enzymes secreted by the affected gland. Sometimes pain in the right upper quadrant causes renal pathology. One kidney on each side of the body, kidney disorders usually cause pain in the corresponding side and back.

If the right kidney becomes infected, develops an abscess, or stones, the resulting pain may be felt in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, as well as in the back.

Pain in the lower right abdomen . In the lower right quadrant are the appendix (a small piece of tissue that extends from the large intestine), the intestines, which can be affected by various diseases, and the ureter, which drains urine from the kidneys to the bladder, fallopian tubes in women.

Any pain in the right lower abdomen should make you think about appendicitis . This diagnosis should not be withdrawn until proven otherwise. If you can point to the location of the pain with one finger, if it lasts for more than 12 hours without easing, if the pain is also localized near the navel, then it is most likely that you have appendicitis.

In any case, if you suspect that you have appendicitis, contact your doctor immediately. And if the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will suggest you an operation. Otherwise, the appendix may fester and burst. And then even appendicitis can be fatal.

Intestinal infection

Pain in the lower right quadrant may be caused by intestinal infection (ulcerative colitis, ileitis, Crohn’s disease, or diarrhea caused by parasites such as amoebas or worms), shingles, and compression of nerves that radiate from spine and terminate in this area. A kidney stone on its way down to the bladder through the ureter can also cause excruciating pain in this quadrant.

Women may experience pain in this area at ectopic pregnancy . An ectopic pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg stays in the fallopian tube instead of going down into the uterus. Pain in this part of the abdomen may occur with infections obtained sexually :

gonorrhea;
trichomoniasis;
chlamydia.

Ovarian cysts, especially if they rupture, and ovarian tumors can cause similar chronic pain. Period Pain Makes Physicians Suggest endometriosis.

Only a gynecologist can detect endometriosis . After listening to the patient’s complaints, he will conduct a complete clinical and gynecological examination in order to exclude other female diseases. In case of pain in the right side of the abdomen, you need to contact a gynecologist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist . The doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the optimal treatment for the disease.

Diseases of the pancreas: signs, symptoms and causes

The pancreas is a key secretory organ of both the digestive and endocrine systems. Pancreatic juice contains a mixture of various enzymes that aid in digestion and absorption of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates present in food. The key hormones produced by the pancreas are insulin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, and somatostatin. These hormones play an important role in the regulation of blood glucose levels and cellular metabolism.

Location of pain in the pancreas

The pancreas is located behind the stomach in the upper middle and upper left areas of the abdominal cavity. These abdominal quadrants are also called the epigastrium (upper middle quadrant) and the left hypochondrium (upper left quadrant). In this abdominal space, the C-shaped loop of the duodenum wraps around the pancreas.

The pancreas is located in the retroperitoneum at the level of the lumbar vertebrae L1 and L2, where it crosses the transpyloric plane (also known as Addison’s plane). Because of this retroperitoneal location, pain in the pancreas comes from deep in the upper abdomen. Pain in the pancreas can also spread to the left shoulder and back area.

Pain from neighboring organs

spleen, liver and colon intestine. Sometimes pain in the pancreas can even be confused with chest pain. Therefore, it is important to distinguish pain in the pancreas from pain that occurs in other surrounding organs.

Some of the common types of abdominal pain that can be confused with pancreatic pain are:

Pain due to gastritis gnawing pain in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen . Pain due to gastritis usually increases with hunger and eating. Such pain is caused by peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

Pain in the abdominal wall

In contrast to deep pain in the pancreas, pain in the abdominal wall is felt more superficially. However, epigastric tenderness may also be present in the early stages of acute pancreatic pain.

Pain due to gallstones

Pain due to gallstones is usually episodic. An attack of gallstone pain can last up to two hours. Pain that lasts more than two hours often indicates inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) or an infection of the bile ducts (cholangitis). Pain due to gallstones is aggravated by fatty foods. Pain due to problems with the pancreas, by the way, is also aggravated due to a fatty diet.

Myocardial infarction pain

Myocardial infarction is the technical term for a heart attack. Pain caused by myocardial infarction can spread to the epigastric region. Because pancreatic pain also occurs in this area, an electrocardiogram (commonly abbreviated to ECG) is often used to distinguish pancreatitis from a heart attack.

Pain caused by abdominal perforation

Pain caused by abdominal perforation is similar to pain in the pancreas. Perforation of the abdominal organ leads to the release of the contents of the organ and air into the abdominal cavity (a condition called pneumoperitoneum). However, unlike pain in the pancreas, pain due to a perforated abdominal organ is accompanied by abdominal distention and signs of peritonitis.

Why does my pancreas hurt?

The exact nature of the pain in the pancreas depends on the cause. The pain can be constant or intermittent. Its intensity varies from mild discomfort to excruciating pain in the upper abdomen, and it usually gets worse after eating. The following are some of the signs and symptoms of pancreatic pain for various reasons:

Pain due to acute pancreatitis . The pain caused by acute pancreatitis has a sudden onset and lasts more than 24 hours. The pain itself is often severe and constant. The main location of the pain is in the epigastrium and left hypochondrium. However, it can also spread to the back and left shoulder.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a common cause of acute pancreatitis. In addition to pain, acute pancreatitis is often characterized by nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), and jaundice. Excessive pain also leads to sweating, dizziness, and fainting. Based on these characteristics, one can mistake the symptoms for a heart attack.

Pain in acute pancreatitis is usually worse when lying down or standing upright. Curling up or leaning forward relieves the pain.

Pain due to chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by pain that is usually recurrent. In later stages, the pain often becomes constant. However, some patients with chronic pancreatitis do not show any pain symptoms at all. In addition to pain, people with chronic pancreatitis have fatty stools (steatorrhea), jaundice, diarrhea, nutritional deficiencies, and unintentional weight loss.

Pancreatic cancer pain

The signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer are similar to those of pancreatitis.

Gallbladder pain worse when lying down: Best Sleeping Position for Gallbladder Pain

Best Sleeping Position for Gallbladder Pain

How we reviewed this article:

Read this next

Is Your Upper Abdominal Pain Acid Reflux or a Gallbladder Attack?

A Look at Your Gallbladder

A Look at Acid Reflux

Take a Close Look at Your Abdominal Pain

How Treatments for Abdominal Pain Vary

Is Surgery Right for You?

Acid Reflux Surgeries in The Woodlands

Gallbladder Removal Surgery in The Woodlands

Is Surgery Right for You?

Pain in the right side of the abdomen

Diseases of the pancreas: signs, symptoms and causes

Location of pain in the pancreas

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