Gallbladder issues are one of the most common reasons people have chronic gastrointestinal symptoms that are difficult to treat.  The issue with many cases of poor gallbladder health isn’t gallbladder stones but biliary stasis. This is a condition in which the bile becomes overly thick and doesn’t secrete well to help digest fats.

Symptoms of gallstones include:

– Severe and sudden pain in the upper right abdomen and possibly extending to the upper back.
– Fever and shivering.
– Severe nausea and vomiting.
– Clay colored stools or dark urine.
– Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Did you know that by paying attention to your gallbladder health, you can not only avoid an unnecessary surgery that raises the risks of developing other health problems, but also you can improve your gut function and lower inflammation?

Symptoms of biliary stasis include:

– Bloating after meals
– Burping after meals
– Fish oil burps from fish oil capsules
– Fatty foods make you feel worse
– Floating stools
– Chronic constipation

It’s important to address gallbladder function and biliary stasis as sufficient bile flow is necessary to digest fats. When fats aren’t digested, the undigested fats cause imbalances elsewhere in the body. Undigested fats can lead to poor sphincter function in the digestive tract, which facilitates the transport of bacteria from the large intestine into the small intestine, causing a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO causes a myriad of symptoms, including chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, or both. Bloating is also common with SIBO. If you are concerned about your gallbladder health, please contact our office today.