Gallstones can cause sudden and severe pain and often need to be surgically removed quickly. But gallbladder symptoms are often confused with other conditions. The purpose of this article is to define the common symptoms that may indicate a gallbladder issue, and offer tips for differentiating gallstone symptoms from other conditions with similar symptoms.

Gallstone Symptoms

The gallbladder stores bile and releases it when necessary into the small intestine. Gallstones are small, hard bits  of solidified digestive fluid that can range in size from a tiny pebble, to a golf ball. These gallstones may cause no issues at all for some patients. But when they block the passage from the cystic  duct, issues start to spring up. Here are a few of the most common signs and symptoms that may indicate gallstones:

• Sudden, severe pain in the upper right or center of your abdomen
• Pain in your back or between your shoulder blades
• Fever and chills
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)

Some instances of gallstones can be treated conservatively. Other times, especially if the patient experiences jaundice and severe chills and fever, the gallbladder must be surgically removed right away. But many of these symptoms overlap with various other conditions. So how can you be sure you are experiencing gallstone issues and not something else?

Other Related Conditions

Here are a few conditions that have similar symptoms to gallstones:

• Liver disease including Cirrhosis
• Pancreatitis
• Cancer of the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder
• Crohn’s disease
• Herniated spinal discs
• Stomach ulcer

These are complex conditions and self-diagnosing one over the other is not an easy task. Your best bet, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, is to make an appointment with your physician who can help narrow down a diagnosis with various tests (blood tests, medical imaging). Once your doctor lands on a diagnosis, you may need to find a skilled general surgeon if surgery is necessary.