What does a gallbladder headache feel like. Signs and Symptoms of a Gallbladder Attack: A Comprehensive Guide
What does a gallbladder headache feel like? Discover the signs and symptoms of a gallbladder attack, including pain, nausea, and jaundice. Learn about the causes, risk factors, and treatments for gallbladder issues.
Understanding Gallbladder Attacks
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located just beneath the liver. It stores and concentrates bile, a fluid produced by the liver that helps break down fats during digestion. When the gallbladder is unable to properly store or release bile, it can lead to a painful condition known as a gallbladder attack.
Symptoms of a Gallbladder Attack
The primary symptom of a gallbladder attack is a sudden, gnawing pain that often occurs in the upper right or center of the abdomen. This pain may also radiate to the back, between the shoulder blades, or to the right shoulder. Other common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Causes of Gallbladder Attacks
The most common cause of gallbladder attacks is the formation of gallstones, which are hard deposits made of cholesterol and bilirubin that can block the bile ducts and prevent the gallbladder from functioning properly. Other conditions, such as cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), tumors, abscesses, and scarring of the bile ducts, can also lead to gallbladder attacks.
Risk Factors for Gallbladder Attacks
Certain factors can increase the risk of developing gallbladder issues, including being female, being overweight or obese, pregnancy, hormonal changes, and having a family history of gallstones. Rapid weight loss, high cholesterol, and certain medical conditions, such as cirrhosis, can also contribute to gallbladder problems.
Diagnosing and Treating Gallbladder Attacks
If a gallbladder attack is suspected, a healthcare provider may order various tests, such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or blood tests, to confirm the diagnosis and determine the underlying cause. Treatment options may include pain medication, dietary changes, and, in some cases, surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy).
Preventing Gallbladder Attacks
While some risk factors for gallbladder attacks, such as age and genetics, cannot be controlled, there are steps individuals can take to reduce their risk. These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a fiber-rich diet, and avoiding rapid weight loss. Regular exercise and limiting the consumption of high-fat and high-cholesterol foods may also help prevent gallbladder problems.
The Link Between Headaches and Gallbladder Issues
Practitioners of Eastern medicine believe that there is a clear connection between headaches and gallbladder problems. This idea is supported by research, which suggests that acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine practice, may be effective in treating headaches related to gallbladder issues.
What is the Gallbladder Meridian?
In Eastern medicine, the gallbladder is believed to be connected to a specific energy channel, or meridian, within the body. This meridian is thought to be responsible for a range of functions, including decision-making, creativity, and the regulation of emotions. When there is an imbalance or blockage in the gallbladder meridian, it can lead to a variety of symptoms, including headaches.
How Can Acupuncture Help?
By stimulating specific points along the gallbladder meridian, acupuncture practitioners believe they can help to restore balance and alleviate the symptoms of gallbladder-related headaches. Some studies have found that acupuncture may be an effective complementary treatment for headaches associated with gallbladder problems.
While the connection between headaches and gallbladder issues may not be widely recognized in Western medicine, the perspectives of Eastern practitioners suggest that there may be a deeper, more complex relationship between these two seemingly unrelated conditions. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind this connection and the potential for alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, to address it.
Pictures of Signs You’re Having a Gallbladder Attack
Medically Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, MS, DO on December 10, 2021
This small, pear-shaped pouch is tucked right under your liver. It stores a fluid called bile your liver makes. Bile breaks down fat. When you eat, your gallbladder sends bile through ducts to your small intestine to help you digest food.
When bile can’t get into or out of your gallbladder, it causes the symptoms that make up an attack. Too much bile in your gallbladder irritates it and causes inflammation and pain.
A gallbladder attack usually causes a sudden gnawing pain that gets worse. You may feel it in the upper right or center of your belly, in your back between your shoulder blades, or in your right shoulder. You might also vomit or have nausea. Pain usually lasts 20 minutes to an hour.
Backed-up bile can enter your bloodstream and cause your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. Doctors call this jaundice. You could have a fever or chills, and your urine might turn the color of tea.
Your poop also may be light-colored.
Too much cholesterol or bilirubin in your bile can make crystals form. They clump together and make stones. These could be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball. They aren’t a problem unless they get stuck in your bile ducts and block bile from leaving. This is the most common cause of gallbladder attacks.
Any other kind of condition that keeps your gallbladder from working the way it should can cause an attack. These include cholecystitis (swelling and redness in the gallbladder), tumors, abscesses, sclerosing cholangitis (scarring of your bile ducts or gallbladder), abnormal tissue growth, or chronic acalculous gallbladder disease, which keeps your gallbladder from moving the way it needs to in order to empty.
Women aged 20 to 60 have a higher chance of getting gallstones than men do. Extra estrogen in your body from pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills may be why. After 60, though, men and women are at equal risk.
If you eat foods high in calories and refined carbohydrates and don’t get much fiber, you raise your risk of a gallbladder attack. You’re also more likely to get them if you’re obese. Quick weight loss can bring them on, too. For example, your risk goes up after weight loss surgery.
As you get older, you’re more likely to have both gallstones and a gallbladder attack. Once you hit 40, your risk starts to rise. If someone in your family had gallstones, you’re more likely to get them. Native Americans and Mexican Americans tend to get gallstones more often than other races do.
Certain conditions can cause gallstones and raise your risk of a gallbladder attack, such as cirrhosis (a disease in which your liver stops working because of disease or injury), infection, sickle cell anemia, intestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease that keep you from getting certain nutrients, metabolic syndrome, high triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol levels, and diabetes.
IMAGES PROVIDED BY:
- Science Source
- Science Source
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
SOURCES:
Cleveland Clinic: “Could Your Abdominal Pain Actually Be Gallstones?”
Mayo Clinic: “Gallstones.
”
Harvard Medical School: “Attack of the gallstones.”
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Gallstones.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Gallbladder Disease.”
© 2021 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. View privacy policy and trust info
The Link Between Headaches and Gallbladder Problems
Practitioners of Eastern medicine see a clear connection between headaches and gallbladder problems. One study indicates that idea may be correct.
By Krisha McCoyMedically Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed
Practitioner’s of Eastern medicine believe that acupuncture can treat headaches related to gallbladder problems.Getty Images
Ask a doctor if she thinks that there is a connection between getting headaches and gallbladder problems, and you’ll likely hear, “There isn’t much of a link.”
Headaches are usually not listed as a symptom of gallbladder problems, nor does a connection between the two appear to be a popular research topic, judging by the lack of such articles in medical research databases.
But ask someone who practices Eastern medicine, a practitioner who looks at the body in a different way, and you’ll get a much different answer.
Eastern medicine practitioners recognize the “gallbladder headache,” and believe that gallbladder problems can be related to certain headaches.
The Gallbladder Meridian
In Eastern medicine, all of your internal organs — your gallbladder, your liver, your kidneys, and so on — are thought to be connected to channels inside your body known as meridians. And the gallbladder meridian runs along the side of the head.
According to David Canzone, doctor of oriental medicine, and an acupuncturist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the gallbladder “is an organ that functions in a system, [and the] meridians are seen as an outlet for the energy of these organs.”
Canzone says these meridians are similar to what Western practitioners call neuropathways. “So if you have gallbladder problems, an energetic blockage, it’s going to show up in the corresponding neuropathway, or meridian,” he says.
With acupuncture, “you can release the built up tension in the gallbladder meridian,” says Canzone. “If you can relieve that tension, you can relieve that headache.”
Can Acupuncture Cure a Headache or Migraine?
Headaches and migraines can be treated with acupuncture when patients seek alternative medical treatment. During acupuncture, needles are inserted into the skin along meridian pathways in an effort to release blocked energy and restore balance.
A clinical trial published in April 2017 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency of migraines. The study consisted of 249 participants between 18 and 65 years old who experienced migraines without aura two to eight times per month. Participants used diaries to record the day the migraine occurred, the severity of their migraines, and any medication intake over a four week period. One-third of the participants were given 20 acupuncture sessions and their results were compared with those from a sham acupuncture control group and a waitlist of equal size.
The participants who received true acupuncture reported less painful and less frequent migraines compared with the waitlist and sham acupuncture groups.
“In this study they targeted some of the points along the gallbladder pathway,” Canzone says. “Simple headaches are also treated using the same acupressure points.”
How Do I know if My Gallbladder Is Out of Whack?
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of gallbladder complications include:
- Sudden pain in the upper right or center of the abdomen
- Sudden pain between your shoulder blades or in your right shoulder
- Nausea or vomiting
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes
- High fever
Canzone finds that the most common symptom of gallbladder problems is pain in the upper back, where the gallbladder meridian crosses through the area between the neck and the shoulder. “If you have something going on in that nerve pathway and you have muscle tension in that part of the neck and shoulder, you could see that as the cause of a headache,” he says.
But he also says that people can have gallstones (a buildup of bile in the gallbladder) and never experience headaches, while others with gallstones develop gallbladder-related headaches.
Negative emotions, alcohol, and other abused substances can heat up the liver, and since the liver is in line with the head and the eyes, heat can travel from the gallbladder up its meridian pathway, causing a headache.
When and Where to Seek Treatment
If you’re having sudden, severe, or persistent headaches, your first line of defense should be to contact your primary doctor. In some cases, headaches can be symptoms of serious conditions that require medical treatment.
Similarly, if you are having symptoms of gallbladder problems, such as severe pain in the right side of your abdomen or pain in your upper back, schedule a check-up with your medical practitioner to rule out serious problems and get treatment, if necessary.
If your headaches are ongoing and your doctor has ruled out other medical problems, a licensed acupuncturist may help to relieve your pain.
Additional reporting by Calley Nelson
By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
What Are Common Gallbladder Problems? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
The gallbladder stores bile, which helps the body break down and digest fats that you eat. Disorders like gallstones can cause problems with how the gallbladder…
By Quinn Phillips
Gallbladder Surgery Complications
Like any surgery, gallbladder removal comes with a risk of certain complications. These include bile leakage, blood clots, and potential digestive changes…
By Quinn Phillips
Gallstones and Other Gallbladder Problems
Gallstones occur when one or more of the substances that make up the bile becomes too concentrated and forms a hard stone. Other gallbladder problems …
By Diana Rodriguez
What Is Cholecystitis?
Cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder, often occurs when a gallstone blocks a duct in the gallbladder.
By Diana Rodriguez
Your Diet After Gallbladder Surgery
Some people need to maintain a modified diet after gallbladder surgery. Follow this diet for effective gallbladder surgery recovery.
By Krisha McCoy
Symptoms of a Gallbladder Problem
Symptoms of gallbladder problems may include severe abdominal pain, especially after you eat fatty foods.
By Diana Rodriguez
Gallbladder Surgery: What to Expect
If you’re having gallbladder symptoms caused by gallstones or other conditions, your doctor may recommend gallbladder surgery.
By Jennifer Acosta Scott
4 Ways to Prevent Gallstones
There is no sure way to prevent gallstones, but there are things you can do to reduce your risk.
Get tips on gallstone prevention.
By Hedy Marks
TsNIL KrasGMU
Clinical and laboratory diagnostics offers more than 450 research methods to help you take care of your health.
ask your doctor a question
Make an appointment
+7 (391) 291-85-33, 228-09-14
Krasnoyarsk, st. Partizana Zheleznyaka, 1 “z” 1st floor
COVID-19
Reception by appointment from 14:00 daily
cost 1600 rub
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Diagnostics of osteoporosis
Bone densitometer Dexxum 3 (South Korea) with the highest accuracy will determine the mineral density of bone tissues and the likelihood of fractures
Osteodensitometry
Determination of the level of calcium and vitamin D in the blood with the advice of an endocrinologist
90 002
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Ultrasound of all organs
LOGIQS8, GE.
USA
Functional diagnostics
EEG, ABPM, Holter monitoring, spirography, ECHO-KG, ECG
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Reception of narrow specialists
Gynecologist, urologist, dermatovenereologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, immunologist, allergist, otorhinolaryngologist
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Video endoscopic examination of the nasopharynx on the ATMOS combine (Germany)
Video stroboscopy (the only method in the Krasnoyarsk Territory)
Diagnosis of the state of the vocal apparatus of the larynx
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
FGS and colonoscopy
OLIMPUS video endoscopic system (Japan)
The whole series of studies during the EGDS procedure using NBI technology is carried out to visualize changes in the vascular pattern during FGS or colonoscopy, to detect suspicious areas of the mucous membrane from the point of view of cancer detection, to take aiming biopsy.
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Laboratory diagnostics
Genetic studies
Maldi-Toff, BRUKER (GERMANY), diagnostics of hormonal disorders (ARCHITECTi2000 Abbott (USA), hematological studies (SIEMENS, Germany), PCR diagnostics (XIRIL AG, Switzerland), immunochemical analysis of proteins (diagnosis of leukemia), drug monitoring (Agilent, USA) and other studies
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
MSCT
Multislice computed tomograph with ASIR technology (General Electric, USA), which allows to reduce the X-ray dose by up to 40%, which is very important for patients undergoing examinations several times in a short period of time. The “gold standard” in the diagnosis of diseases of the chest, abdominal cavity, exclusion of brain aneurysms, oncological diseases.
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Complete examination in one day
Diagnosis and treatment
Diseases of the ear, nose, throat, for adults and children
Modern equipment from Atmos (Germany)
Hearing acuity testing
In a noise-protective cabin
Video-laryngostroboscopy
Unique diagnosis of the causes of voice disorders
Making an appointment by phone: +7 (391) 291-85-33
Pain, heartburn, abdominal cramps – what the symptoms tell
home
Directions
Gastroenterology
Pain, heartburn, cramps in the abdomen – what the symptoms will tell
Pain, heartburn, abdominal cramps – what the symptoms will tell.
Unpleasant sensations in the stomach or intestines are familiar to almost every person.
With a modern lifestyle, which is characterized by poor nutrition and a large amount of stress, symptoms such as heartburn, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, and pain often appear. Often they are attributed to poor irregular nutrition or, conversely, to food excesses that precede discomfort in the stomach. In most cases, the symptoms go away on their own or after the use of simple medicines, the cause for concern disappears, and the person continues to lead the same lifestyle – until the next episode of heartburn or abdominal pain. Not everyone understands that the resumption of unpleasant symptoms is a reason to see a doctor, and unsystematic medication can only exacerbate the problem.
Most common digestive symptoms
The most common symptom that makes a person do something urgently is pain. Pain in the upper or lower abdomen, before eating or after eating, on the right under the ribs or diffuse, barely perceptible, throughout the lower abdomen.
Abdominal pain may be accompanied by other symptoms – heartburn, belching, bitterness in the mouth, nausea, upset stool.
Obsessive, aching pain in the upper abdomen are usually found in chronic gastritis. A very characteristic feature of pain in the stomach with gastritis is their clear connection with the intake of irritating food – spicy, pickled, fatty, fried. Pain after eating appears along with sensations of heaviness and fullness in the abdomen, heartburn, an unpleasant taste in the mouth are also possible. Episodes of such pain can be associated with banal overeating or taking dishes uncharacteristic of the usual diet. In this case, the pain goes away on its own after returning to a normal diet. If the pain in the stomach does not go away, then you need to go to the doctor. Chronic gastritis is a well-studied disease that is successfully treated. Only a doctor can confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment after gastroscopy
Severe stomach pain may be associated with peptic ulcer disease.
They can be “hungry” outside of meals, at night, and also occur after meals. In the case of peptic ulcer pain does not occur as quickly as with gastritis, but after a few hours. Pain relief is possible with a light meal or dairy products. Without treatment, gastric ulcer brings a lot of extremely unpleasant sensations to a person, while with a competent approach it can be treated well. With the modern abundance of drugs and with the participation of a qualified doctor, ulcers and stomach pains can be forgotten for a long time.
Heartburn alone or in combination with discomfort in the upper abdomen may be the result of overeating, taking exotic foods, alcohol. This is a common symptom that occurs in people of all ages and is considered not “serious” enough to warrant a visit to the doctor. However, with frequent occurrence of heartburn, especially if it is combined with belching , it cannot be ignored. Heartburn is the result of the contents of the stomach entering the esophagus, pharynx and oral cavity, while the food is mixed with hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes, which means that the mucous membrane of the esophagus, oral cavity, and tooth enamel suffer.
Heartburn can be a symptom of chronic gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), etc.
Pain in the right hypochondrium is most often not associated with food intake or time of day. Such pains cannot be called acute, they are rather pulling, aching, bursting. Their cause may be chronic cholecystitis – an inflammatory disease of the gallbladder, biliary dyskinesia – excessive or, conversely, insufficient contraction of the gallbladder and ducts, which entails a violation of bile excretion. Pain on the right under the ribs, as a rule, does not appear “alone”, the patient is noted for heaviness in the stomach and right hypochondrium, bloating , stool disorders – in a word, signs of a violation of the digestive process.
Acute pain in the right hypochondrium may occur with biliary or hepatic colic. This condition develops when there are stones or sand in the gallbladder (calculous cholecystitis). The movement of the stone through the bile ducts causes their sharp contraction, which causes severe pain.
Aching pains in the lower abdomen are often observed in inflammatory bowel diseases. Usually they are accompanied by stool disorders (diarrhea or constipation), bloating.
What else do you need to know about stomach and intestinal symptoms?
Pain in the digestive tract does not necessarily indicate the presence of any disease. The stressful rhythm of life, together with poor nutrition, is the basic combination for the formation of diseases of the stomach and intestines, but depending on the initial level of human health, this “duet” does not always trigger the development of diseases. There is such a term – stressful stomach pains that occur against the background of serious emotional overload and do not require any treatment other than rest and sedative therapy.
In general, pain in the stomach or any part of the abdomen is the most common symptom in people of all ages and lifestyles. Pain in the abdomen can be associated with a variety of diseases – both the digestive system and other body systems (cardiovascular, respiratory).
In the latter case, the so-called gastric remedies are ineffective, so to determine the true cause of discomfort in the abdomen, you need to consult a doctor.
The most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and their treatment
Chronic gastritis is an inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa, most often developed under the influence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Treatment includes, in addition to standard means to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs.
Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum — formation of an ulcer on the mucosa at the site of its defect, which is formed under the influence of excessively aggressive factors. The disease is also called “stress disease” because there is a level of stress in development (combined with poor nutrition and the use of certain medications). One of the leading directions in treatment, in addition to drugs, is bed rest and the absence of neuro-emotional overload.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), characterized by regular backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus. Belching, heartburn, pain in the esophagus and stomach are significant manifestations of the disease. There are various forms of the disease, the treatment of which differs. The basis of therapy is the use of a complex of drugs and the so-called behavioral therapy that prevents the backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus (for example, no meals before bedtime, do not take a lying position immediately after eating, etc.).
characterized by regular reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Belching, heartburn, pain in the esophagus and stomach are significant manifestations of the disease. There are various forms of the disease, the treatment of which differs. The basis of therapy is the use of a complex of drugs and the so-called behavioral therapy that prevents the backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus (for example, no meals before bedtime, do not take a lying position immediately after eating, etc.
).
Food intolerance (food intolerance) – the development of abdominal pain and other symptoms in the background of eating certain foods, most often dairy products. Treatment consists in the exclusion of these products from the diet and the normalization of digestive processes with the help of probiotics, prebiotics, enterosorbents.
Colitis – inflammatory diseases of the large intestine that develop as a result of various causes – infections, malnutrition, alcohol abuse, long-term use of drugs, etc. Depending on the type of colitis, drugs of various groups are used.
Cost
Prices for services
Name
Price
Gastroscopy
7200 r.
Sign up
The cost of a gastroenterologist appointment
3300 rubles.
Sign up
Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs (complex)
3300 r.
Sign up
our Doctors
Gastroenterologists
Gadieva Diana Kazbekovna
Attentive doctor with extensive practical experience.
More
Make an appointment
Important Notes
Specialized dietary nutrition is prescribed for all gastrointestinal diseases. Diet is the most important area of treatment, often just following the right diet is enough to improve well-being. For the health of the digestive system, dietary restrictions (the absence of harmful foods in the diet) and maintaining weight within normal limits are important, since if you have extra pounds, your metabolism gradually worsens, which negatively affects the functioning of the stomach, liver, and intestines.
The most common diseases of the digestive system are very well studied, they can be successfully treated, it is important to see a doctor in time, undergo a full examination, and then get recommendations on treatment and lifestyle.
If you have health problems. You do not know which doctor treats this pathology and whom it is better to contact.
Call us: +7(495) 210-02-48; +7(495) 799-02-06.
Call center doctors will advise you and refer you to the right specialist.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
01
How is the diagnosis of gastritis confirmed or excluded?
During gastroscopy, material (biopsy) is taken for histological examination. Based on the results of this study, the diagnosis is confirmed or not – “Gastritis”. This is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
02
What is the treatment for gastritis?
Everything depends on the form of gastritis. Treatment may be medication or non-medication. For someone, a diet, physiotherapy treatment or special gymnastics will be enough. Some will need to take medication. Treatment can be prescribed by a doctor after a study (gastroscopy).
03
Is it possible to do gastroscopy during pregnancy and lactation?
Yes, you can.
04
Is it possible to undergo gastroscopy during menstruation?
Yes, you can.