What are the complications of gallstones?

Common complications of gallstones include biliary colic, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. In severe cases, they may also cause pancreatitis or gallbladder perforation. When these symptoms occur, it is recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent the condition from worsening. Gallstones are solid particles formed in the gallbladder. They are precipitated due to the imbalance of cholesterol, bile salts, and calcium in the bile. In most cases, gallstones do not cause obvious discomfort, but once the stones move or block the bile duct, they may cause a series of complications.

For biliary colic, it often manifests as severe right upper abdominal pain, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. This pain usually begins a few hours after eating high-fat foods, because these foods stimulate the gallbladder to contract and push the stones out of place. If gallstones block the gallbladder outlet, it may cause acute cholecystitis, which manifests as persistent abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and even abnormal liver function indicators. If stones block the common bile duct, cholangitis may develop, and severe cases will have high fever, chills, and jaundice. Pancreatitis is caused by stones affecting the opening of the pancreatic duct, and usually severe abdominal pain and indigestion symptoms occur.

For biliary colic, it often manifests as severe right upper abdominal pain, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. This pain usually begins a few hours after eating high-fat foods, because these foods stimulate the gallbladder to contract and push the stones out of place. If gallstones block the gallbladder outlet, it may cause acute cholecystitis, which manifests as persistent abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and even abnormal liver function indicators. If stones block the common bile duct, cholangitis may develop, and severe cases will have high fever, chills, and jaundice. Pancreatitis is caused by stones affecting the opening of the pancreatic duct, and usually severe abdominal pain and indigestion symptoms occur.

To avoid these complications and reduce discomfort, it is important to control the fat content in your diet. In addition, maintaining a stable weight and proper eating habits can also help reduce the risk of stone formation. If gallstones have been diagnosed but no symptoms occur, regular ultrasound examinations can be performed to monitor the development of stones. However, if the above serious symptoms have already occurred, medical evaluation and intervention should be carried out in a timely manner, such as drug treatment or surgery when necessary, to prevent further complications and affect the quality of life.