Gallstones are common in people who are older than 40 years. But most people don’t notice them, because the stones cause no symptoms.
Treatment should be considered when symptoms are noticeable, however mild they maybe as they have the potential to progress to serious complications. If the gallstones cause severe blockage or travel into another part of the digestive system, people with gallstones can develop serious problems.
Inflammation of the Gallbladder
The gallbladder will get inflamed if a gallstone prevents the appropriate drainage of bile. The fluid builds up and stretches the wall of the gallbladder and start irritating the wall lining. The indication of acute inflammation includes constant, intense pain in the right upper abdomen, fever, and chills. If the inflammation spreads to the blood, and then to the whole body, this state is known as septicemia. Septicemia should be treated immediately.
Blockage or Infection of the Bile Ducts
Bile duct inflammation also contributes to extreme pain in the upper abdomen, fever, and jaundice, which can lead to liver problems.
Blockage and inflammation of the Pancreatic Duct
The pancreatic duct is a tube that passes from the pancreas and connects to the common bile duct just before entering the duodenum. A gallstone can cause pancreatic duct blockage, which can lead to pancreatic inflammation (pancreatitis). Pancreatitis causes intense and constant abdominal pain that usually requires hospitalization and can be life threatening.
Gallbladder Cancer
Persons with a gallstone history have an increased risk of gallbladder cancer. Yet cancer of the gallbladder is extremely rare, and the probability of gallbladder cancer is still very low while the risk of cancer is high.
If you have potential risk factors, such as a family history of gallbladder cancer or high calcium levels within your gallbladder, it is advised to remove your gallbladder as a precaution, even though your gallstones do not give any symptoms. Larger the stone, Greater is the risk for Gallbladder Cancer.