Sludge in gall bladder symptoms

Gallbladder

Gallbladder is an organ that is a part of thedigestive system in humans. It is small and in the shape of a pear. Gallbladderis situated below the liver in the right side of the abdomen, and it plays an important role in digestion, since it serves for the storage of the bile. The body then uses this bilestorage for the fat digestion in the small intestine.

The liver is the organ which produces the bile that contains water, bilirubin, bile acid and electrolytes, as well as phospholipidsand cholesterol. The bile is also very important for the absorption of thevitamins. However, the gallbladder, as any other organ in thebody, can be affected by certain disorders. Many people have the problem withgallstones, for example. Apart from the gallstones, sludge can appear in the gallbladder.

Sludge in gallbladder

Gallbladder sludge is also called biliary sludge. Due to various reasons, it happens that thegallbladder is unable to pass the bile to the small intestine. Thus, thecholesterol is crystallized and the sludge forms. The sludge that appears inthe gallbladder forms calcium salts, bile particles and cholesterol crystals.

The technique that is used for the discovering the gallbladder sludge is ultrasonography. It is regarded that the gallbladder sludgeis actually microscopic form of gallstones. When this tiny gallbladder sludgeis not eliminated from the gallbladder, it gradually becomes larger andeventually the gallbladder stones form. The gallbladder sludge should be flushed out of thebody, since it can lead to the serious complications and medical conditions,such as pancreatitis and gallbladder inflammation.

There are certain factors that contribute to the occurrenceof the gallbladder sludge such as fasting and weight loss, as well as high cholesterollevels and pregnancy. It is also considered that alcohol, drugs and certainmedicines may also be potential causes for the appearance of this condition.

Symptoms of sludge in gallbladder

In the majority of people, this gallbladder disorderdoes not cause any symptoms. On the other hand, there are cases when the symptomsappear. Since the gallbladder sludge tends to block the bile ducts, the mostcommon warning sign is the sharp pain in the upper right corner of the abdomen. Furthermore, nausea, vomiting and bloating, as wellas indigestion may occur. Diarrhea and fever or chills are also some of thesymptoms of this gallbladder disorder. There are cases when the gallbladder sludge causedthe inflammation of the pancreas and the gallbladder.