Quick read
Key points
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Gallstones are hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder, usually made of cholesterol, and are very common, though most people with gallstones have no symptoms at all. When they do cause symptoms, this typically involves sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen, often after eating fatty food, sometimes alongside nausea.
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Topic-specific prevention and risk reduction will be added during the article-specific evidence audit.
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You have sudden, severe pain in the upper right abdomen, particularly after eating fatty food
01 · Know
What is Gallstones?
Gallstones are hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder, usually made of cholesterol, and are very common, though most people with gallstones have no symptoms at all. When they do cause symptoms, this typically involves sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen, often after eating fatty food, sometimes alongside nausea.
Gallstones causing symptoms or complications, such as blocking the bile duct or causing gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis), are usually treated by surgically removing the gallbladder, which resolves the problem completely since the gallbladder isn't essential for digestion.
02 · Understand
Clinical context
Silent gallstones usually don't need treatment
Gallstones found incidentally that aren't causing any symptoms generally don't need treatment, since many people with silent gallstones never go on to develop problems from them.
03 · Act
When to Seek Care
- 1You have sudden, severe pain in the upper right abdomen, particularly after eating fatty food
- 2Pain is accompanied by fever or jaundice
- 3You've had recurrent episodes of similar pain and want investigation
- 4You've been diagnosed with symptomatic gallstones and want to discuss treatment options
04 · Prevent & manage
Practical steps
Recurrent Severe Pain Episodes Usually Need Surgical Treatment
If gallstones are causing recurrent, significant pain (biliary colic), gallbladder removal is usually recommended, since the episodes tend to continue or worsen without addressing the underlying gallstones.
- 1Seek assessment for suspected gallstone pain.An ultrasound can usually confirm the diagnosis quickly.
- 2Consider dietary adjustments if advised.Reducing fatty food intake may help reduce symptom frequency while awaiting treatment.
- 3Discuss surgical removal if symptoms are recurrent.This resolves the problem completely and is usually performed via keyhole surgery.
- 4Seek urgent care for severe or worsening symptoms.This helps catch complications like blocked bile ducts or gallbladder infection early.
Evidence
References
BarnMD Health Intelligence uses authoritative and clinically relevant sources appropriate to the topic. References are shown so readers can inspect the evidence directly.
- HSE: Gallstones ↗
Medical information notice
Health education, not individual medical advice
BarnMD Health Library provides general health education for public health literacy. Reading this article does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and this information is not a diagnosis, prescription, or personalised treatment plan. If you have symptoms or concerns about your health, seek appropriate advice from a qualified healthcare professional. If you develop emergency warning signs, seek urgent or emergency medical attention.
BarnMD Bottom Line
Gallstones are common, and while many cause no symptoms at all, those that do respond well to gallbladder removal surgery.
Severe abdominal pain with fever or jaundice needs urgent medical assessment to check for complications.