A gallbladder is a four inch organ in the shape of a pear. It lies in the upper right of the abdomen just behind the liver. It stores bile sent to it from the liver. When dietary fats need to be processed, the gallbladder releases small amounts of bile into the small intestine through the bile duct.
If the gallbladder’s bile hardens and crystallizes, it forms gallstones. These can back up the duct, causing the gallbladder to swell. This is the essence of a gallbladder attack, and it has ten definite symptoms.
1. Pain
Gallbladder pain is generally located in the upper right of the abdomen. The pain frequently radiates throughout the right arm, back, and chest. Sufferers usually mistake it for a heart attack. The pain is constant and doesn’t disappear. It can last from a few minutes to hours.
The pain can manifest in two ways. It can feel mild as it comes and goes. It can also be focused and severe. It can come on suddenly and intensify rapidly. The pain is sometimes felt beneath the breastbone, between the shoulder blades, and up and down the right arm.
