Gallstones: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Gallstones form inside your gallbladder and often sit quietly for years. Sometimes they cause sharp pain, nausea, or infections. Knowing the signs and options helps you avoid emergencies and choose the right treatment.

Symptoms and when to see help

The most common sign is a sudden, intense pain under the right rib or in the upper middle belly — that’s biliary colic. Pain often starts after a fatty meal, lasts from 30 minutes to a few hours, and may wake you at night. You might also feel nausea, vomiting, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or dark urine. If you have fever, persistent vomiting, or jaundice, go to urgent care — those symptoms can mean infection or a blocked bile duct.

Some people never notice gallstones. If your doctor finds them by chance on an ultrasound and you have no symptoms, most likely you won’t need treatment right away. Still, keep an eye on new symptoms and discuss any risks with your doctor.

What causes gallstones and who’s at risk

There are two main types: cholesterol stones (most common) and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones form when bile has too much cholesterol or not enough bile salts. Pigment stones happen when red blood cells break down and release bilirubin. Risk factors include being female, overweight, older age, family history, pregnancy, rapid weight loss, and some medical conditions like diabetes or liver disease.

A quick rule: sudden weight loss or crash diets can raise your risk. If you’re planning to lose weight, aim for steady, moderate loss under medical guidance.

How are gallstones diagnosed? The first test is usually an abdominal ultrasound — it’s fast and accurate for gallbladder stones. Blood tests check for infection, liver issues, or blocked bile ducts. If more detail is needed, doctors may use CT scans, MRI, or an ERCP (endoscopic test) when stones are stuck in the bile duct.

What about treatment? If stones don’t bother you, many doctors recommend watchful waiting. For painful or complicated cases, the most common fix is laparoscopic cholecystectomy — removal of the gallbladder through small cuts. Recovery is usually a few days to a week for most people. If a stone blocks the bile duct, an ERCP can remove it before or instead of surgery.

Non-surgical options exist but are limited. Oral bile acids (like ursodeoxycholic acid) can dissolve small cholesterol stones, but treatment takes months and stones often return. Shock-wave therapy is rare and not widely used.

Simple prevention tips: keep a healthy weight, avoid crash diets, eat balanced meals with fiber and healthy fats, and stay active. If you have frequent belly pain after eating, write down what you ate and how you felt — that helps your doctor find a pattern fast.

Got questions about test results or treatment timing? Talk openly with your doctor about risks and recovery. Gallstones are common and treatable, and with the right plan you can avoid emergencies and get back to normal life quickly.