The most common symptom of gallstones is pain throughout the upper part of the abdomen that can radiate to the back and shoulders. In addition, there are various other symptoms that you need to recognize so that this condition can be treated early to prevent serious complications.
Gallstones can be present for various reasons, for example, due to cholesterol that builds up and settles in the gallbladder. Patients with gallstones are often not aware that they have this disease, because in most cases, gallstones do not cause symptoms.
Symptoms of gallstones can begin to be felt when the stone has blocked the flow of bile into the small intestine. This condition can also be more severe when gallstones enter other organs of the digestive system, such as the pancreas or small intestine.
Symptoms of Gallstones to Recognize
The following are some of the common symptoms of gallstones:
1. Abdominal, back and shoulder pain
The appearance of severe pain around the upper right or middle abdomen is the most common symptom of gallstones. This pain can radiate to other parts of the body, such as to the back and right shoulder.
Usually abdominal pain appears suddenly, both day and night in the middle of sleep. However, pain can also be triggered by the consumption of high-fat foods. Gallstone pain symptoms may last for about 1–5 hours or even days, and do not subside with bowel movements or passing wind.
2. Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of all types of long-standing biliary disease, including gallstones. These symptoms can also be part of the body's response to intense pain.
3. Chronic diarrhea
Symptoms of severe gallstones can also be characterized by chronic diarrhea, which is watery bowel movements that become frequent, at least 4 times a day, for 3 months. Usually, these symptoms also occur because gallstones have interfered with other parts of the digestive system, such as the pancreas.
4. Jaundice
Yellow skin and eyes are also a symptom of gallstones to watch out for. You can get jaundice if gallstones escape from the gallbladder and settle in the bile ducts, blocking the flow of bile.
This obstruction of bile flow is called cholestasis. This condition can then cause the yellow bilirubin in bile to "leak" into the blood and into the tissues of the skin and eyes.
5. Dark urine color
In addition to settling and causing a yellow color in the eyes and skin, excess bilirubin in the blood will also be excreted through the kidneys and cause the urine to be darker in color, to be precise, brown or dark red.
6. Pale stools
Pale or clay-colored stools can also be a symptom of gallstones. This occurs because gallstones block the flow of bile, which gives stool its color.
Some of the symptoms of gallstones above can also occur in other diseases related to the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas. So, it is necessary to have a doctor's examination to determine the cause of the above symptoms.
As previously stated, most gallstones cause no symptoms. Gallstones will sometimes pass on their own without even causing the symptoms of gallstones as above.
Even so, you still have to be careful because gallstones that block the bile duct can cause more serious complications, such as inflammation and infection in the gallbladder, bile duct, and pancreas (acute pancreatitis).
If you feel typical pain such as pain symptoms of gallstones, consult a doctor immediately, especially if the pain does not subside for more than 5 hours, accompanied by a high fever or yellow skin and eyes.