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Gallbladder

Your gallbladder is a 4-inch, pear-shaped organ. It’s positioned under your liver in the upper-right section of your abdomen.
The gallbladder stores bile, a combination of fluids, fat, and cholesterol. Bile helps break down fat from food in your intestine. The gallbladder delivers bile into the small intestine. This allows fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients to be more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

Pain and other symptoms of a gallbladder problem

Gallbladder conditions share similar symptoms. These include:

Signs and symptoms of appendicitis may include:

Pain. It usually occurs in the mid to upper-right section of your abdomen.
Nausea or vomiting. Chronic gallbladder disease may cause digestive problems, such as acid reflux and gas.
Fever or chills. This may be a sign of infection and should be treated immediately.
Chronic diarrhea. Defined as more than four bowel movements per day for at least 3 months.
Jaundice. Marked by yellow-tinted skin, it may be a sign of a block or stone in the common bile duct.
Stool abnormality. Lighter-colored stools is a possible sign of a common bile duct block.
Discolored urine. Dark urine is a potential sign of a common bile duct block.

Causes

Any disease that affects your gallbladder is considered a gallbladder disease. The following conditions are all gallbladder diseases.

Inflammation of the gallbladder. This is called cholecystitis. It can be either acute (short term), or chronic (long term).
Common bile duct infection. An infection may develop if the common bile duct is obstructed.
Gallbladder polyps. These are abnormal tissue growths that may be benign. Larger polyps may need to be surgically removed before they develop into cancer or cause other problems.
Porcelain gallbladder. This is when calcium deposits stiffen the gallbladder walls and make them rigid.
Gallbladder cancer. Although rare, if not detected and treated, this cancer can spread quickly.
Gallstones. These are small, hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder. They can cause acute cholecystitis. More on gallstones and their complications below.