What Is Gallbladder Pain?
The gallbladder is a part of the digestive system that sits on the right side of the abdomen, directly under the liver. It is an organ that stores and releases bile into the digestive tract. The purpose of the bile is to aid the digestive process by breaking down fat from food passed into your intestine. The gall bladder also helps the blood stream easily absorb vitamin and nutrient by sending bile to your small intestines. People are usually less conscious of their gallbladder until they begin to experience pain.
Gallbladder pain begins when any of these processes are interrupted. This happens when the major components of bile (bilirubin and cholesterol) starts to build up and become gallbladder sludge. The accumulation of substances can lead the formation of small stones known as gallstones.
This is the major cause of any pain felt in the gallbladder. Gallstone can block the release of bile from the gallbladder. When this happens, the bile has nowhere to go so it starts to back up in the gall bladder. The buildup causes the gallbladder to swell, which can lead to infection and poor blood flow. This complication is referred to as cholecystitis, and the beginning of gallbladder pain, usually felt in the upper-right section of your abdomen.
The pain may sometimes radiate to the back and the right shoulder blade, usually sudden and often intense, and worsens when taking a deep breath. You may even find it difficult to explain the nature of the pain to your doctor. To run diagnosis your doctor would ask if you are experiencing symptoms such as; nausea [1], vomiting, diarrhea [2], fever, and dark urine.
The first treatment given by your doctor is anti-inflammatory medication or pain relievers. However, some of these medications have dangerous side effects and may only worsen the condition. For this reason, natural approaches to pain relief have become a substitute to drugs. It is still very important that you discuss with your doctor before applying pursuing any natural treatments. Here is a list of some natural treatment options to help ease your gallbladder pain.