Gallbladder Diseases

Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine.

Your gallbladder is most likely to give you trouble if something blocks the flow of bile through the bile ducts. That is usually a gallstone. Gallstones form when substances in bile harden. Gallstone attacks usually happen after you eat. Signs of a gallstone attack may include nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just under the right arm.

Gallstones are most common among older adults, women, overweight people, Native Americans and Mexican Americans. The most common treatment is removal of the gallbladder. Fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ that you can live without. Bile has other ways to reach your small intestine.

External Resources

USC Liver Transplant Program and Center for Liver Disease - Specializing in the surgical and medical management of the following disease entities: pancreas, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, portal hypertension surgery, and liver transplantation.

Gallstones: Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention - Discover the facts, find out why women have a significantly higher incidence and learn how to prevent gallbladder disease.

Dekalb Surgery Center - About the surgical procedures for breast cancer, gallbladder and colon disease. Decatur and Lithonia, GA.

Iberia Gastroenterology Associates & Acadiana Surgery Center - Clinic in New Iberia, LA specializinbg in diseases and disorders of the esophagus, stomach, liver, colon, gallbladder, and pancreas. This includes colon cancer screening and non-surgical management of gallstones and bleeding ulcers.

Norwich GI Associates, PC - GI practice in Norwich, CT specializing in colon cancer screening, peptic ulcer disease, acid reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diseases of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, nutritional disorders and disorders of malabsorption.

Conquering Chronic Diseases Without Drugs or Surgery - Articles by Julia Chang, M.Sc. Text on Chinese and Western approaches in gallstone removal, gallbladder problems, liver diseases and woman health problems such as estrogen dominance and endometriosis. Prime Herbs products for sale.

Health Vitamin C may help prevent gallbladder disease in women, study shows - [CNN]

Exercise may reduce gallbladder disease risk - [CNN]

Digestive Specialists, Inc - Medical practice restricted to gastrointestinal system disorders, including esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, and colon diseases.

American Liver Foundation Northern Ohio Chapter - Voluntary health organization dedicated to preventing, treating and curing hepatitis and other liver and gallbladder diseases. Provides meeting schedule, event calendar, and contact details.

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