Gallstones

Often there are no symptoms that arise due to the gallstones (asymptomatic), and many patients only come to know that they have gallstones when they get a scan done for other reasons, for example during a health screening. When symptoms arise, they can range from discomfort after eating, especially with fatty food, to severe cramping pains over the middle and right of the upper abdominal area. Occasionally, complications can occur due to the gallstones such as infection of the gallbladder or blockage of the bile duct. In such cases, fever and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes) may be experienced in addition to the pain. Migration of the gallstones through the bile duct may also cause blockage of the pancreatic duct which leads to inflammation of the pancreas known as pancreatitis.