Home HEALTH What could be the cause of stomach pain?

What could be the cause of stomach pain?

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Pain under the right rib cage.
The body feels feverish.
Nausea and vomiting.

Cholecystitis

(Gallbladder Inflammation)

Gallstones

By Dr. Bhone Si Thu Lwin

The gallbladder is located under the liver and is about 8 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.

Its job is to store the fluid produced by the liver. When the liver produces bile fluid, which is a bit watery, the gallbladder reabsorbs water and stores the thickened bile. When food enters the intestines after eating, the gallbladder squeezes out bile to aid digestion. (The more food you eat, especially fatty food, the more bile it releases.)

What’s in bile?
Water, fat, enzymes, and bile pigments (these pigments give stool its yellowish color).

This is normal.

But if a person eats too much fat, the bile produced by the liver contains more fat. As the gallbladder reabsorbs water, the bile becomes thicker and thicker. Over time, this thickened bile forms sediment, and if it lasts long enough, it hardens into stones (gallstones).

Who gets gallstones?

  • People who eat a lot of fatty foods
  • Those who overeat frequently
  • People who don’t exercise much

Symptoms

If gallstones remain in the gallbladder, there are usually no symptoms.
But when eating a lot of food, especially fatty food, the gallbladder squeezes out bile, and stones can move with the bile.

  • If a stone is small (about 0.6 cm), it can get stuck in the bile duct opening and block it.
  • The gallbladder squeezes harder, causing severe pain (those who’ve experienced it know).
  • This is usually felt while eating, which makes it easy to confuse with gastritis.
  • Nausea and vomiting are common.

Pain can be so intense that people end up at the hospital. Doctors may inject anti-spasmodic medication, which relaxes the gallbladder muscle and lets the stone slip back in, giving relief.

But this does not cure the disease. The pain disappears, yet the gallstone remains.
Only removing the gallbladder (surgery) permanently resolves the condition.

What happens if untreated?

  • Every time you overeat or eat fatty food, symptoms come back.
  • Pain → injection → relief → repeat.
  • Over time, the gallbladder becomes damaged and inflamed.
  • If bacteria enter, fever develops.
  • Antibiotics may relieve symptoms temporarily, but the problem persists.

Eventually, gallbladder abscess (infection) occurs, leading to high fevers (103–104°F).
At this point, emergency surgery becomes necessary.

When surgery is delayed until severe infection, patients often face longer hospital stays, complications, and higher risks.
If gallbladder removal (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) is done before infection sets in, recovery is much quicker and safer.

Sometimes, stones can move and block the common bile duct (where bile from the liver and gallbladder joins). This causes jaundice (yellowing skin) and worsens the condition into cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of bile ducts and liver).

How to Prevent Gallstones?

Gallstones are linked to many health risks like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, and sleep apnea (OSA).
Risk factors include:

  • Overeating / high-fat diets
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Smoking and alcohol
  • High stress
  • Obesity

Prevention tips:

  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Exercise regularly
  • Quit smoking & alcohol
  • Manage stress
  • Maintain healthy weight

This helps prevent not only gallstones but also fatty liver, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

If You Already Have Gallstones

  • Definitive cure: Surgery (gallbladder removal).
  • Gallstone-dissolving medicines only prevent new stones but cannot remove existing stones.
  • To reduce recurrence: eat less fat and avoid overeating.
  • If you have pain and fever, don’t delay—see a doctor immediately.

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