What are the symptoms of complications of gallstones?

Complications of gallstones may cause symptoms such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, and pancreatitis. Gallstones are solid particles in the gallbladder that can cause these complications if they move and block the bile duct. Common symptoms include right upper abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice.

Cholecystitis is the most common complication of gallstones, usually caused by gallstones blocking the cystic duct. Patients often feel colic in the right upper abdomen, and the pain may spread to the right shoulder or back. It is accompanied by fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. Cholangitis is mainly caused by stones blocking the common bile duct, causing bacterial infection. In severe cases, systemic infection symptoms may occur, such as high fever, jaundice, confusion, etc. Pancreatitis is caused by stones blocking the confluence of the common bile duct and pancreatic duct, resulting in severe abdominal pain, fever and vomiting.

If you experience symptoms of complications from gallstones, you should adjust your diet, avoid high-fat, high-cholesterol foods, and increase your fiber intake. At the same time, have regular health checks to understand your cholesterol levels. If symptoms are severe or complications are suspected, you should seek medical attention in a timely manner to obtain professional diagnosis and treatment. Under the guidance of a doctor, some patients may need surgery to remove the gallbladder or stones to avoid recurrence and worsening of complications.