Gallstones and Cholecystitis

Gallstones are common and affect women more than men.  Although they may appear at any age, including teenagers and young adults there peak is in middle age where they may present with severe pain that is indistinguishable from pain from the pancreas except that it lasts for a shorter duration either minutes or hours.  If the stone blocks the exit from the gall bladder (the cystic duct) then pain will only occur though this may be complicated by inflammation of the whole of the gall bladder.

Cholecystitis when this is present pain is accompanied by fever and tenderness in the upper abdomen and usually warrants urgent hospital treatment.

If a stone escapes from the gall bladder into the bile duct and causes a blockage there then pain, jaundice and itchiness of the skin may follow, though spontaneously disappear when the stone passes into the duodenum.