The gall bladder's main function is to store bile produced by the liver. From the liver, bile is transported to the gall bladder to be stored and concentrated until it is needed.
During meals, the gall bladder contracts and releases concentrated bile down the bile duct into the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). Once the concentrated bile reaches the duodenum, it breaks down fats in the semi-digested food.
Learn about common diseases affecting the gall bladder and the bile duct:
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Gallstones are small stone-like materials that are found in the gall bladder. If your bile contains high levels of cholesterol, bilirubin or bile salts, your bile may harden into gallstones.
Although gallstones generally do not cause any trouble, some gallstones may block the bile duct or result in inflammation of the gall bladder. These may cause symptoms, such as:
- Jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes)
- Steady, severe pain in the upper right abdomen which can extend to the back and between the shoulder blades
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
- Fever
Learn more about gallstones and their treatment.
Gall bladder cancer is the malignant growth of cancer cells in the gall bladder.
Early-stage gall bladder cancer tends to have few or no symptoms. In more advanced stages, symptoms of gall bladder cancer include:
- Steady, severe pain in the upper right abdomen which can extend to the back and between the shoulder blades
- Jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lumps in the abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
Learn more about gall bladder cancer and its treatments.
Bile duct cancer is a rare disease where cancer cells develop in the bile duct.
Early-stage bile duct cancer tends to have few or no symptoms. In the more advanced stages, symptoms of bile duct cancer include:
- Steady, severe pain in the upper right abdomen which can extend to the back and between the shoulder blades
- Jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lumps in the abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
Learn more about bile duct cancer and its treatments.
This page has been reviewed by our medical content reviewers.
