Gallstones
The gallbladder, located just under the liver, stores bile, which is pushed into the small intestines through ducts to help aid digestion. Sometimes the bile becomes crystallized and forms gallstones, varying in size from a tiny speck to the dimensions of a golf ball.
Gallstones can cause inflammation, nausea and pain, and can lead to an infection of the gallbladder called cholecystitis.
The most common symptoms of gallstones include:
- Abdominal bloating
- Sudden, increasing pain in the right upper area of the abdomen
- Pain between the shoulder blades
- Nausea or vomiting