Gallbladder disorders

The gallbladder is a small organ that sits under the liver, and as the liver secretes bile, it accumulates in the gallbladder and sits there until food is ingested and reaches the small intestine. Gall stones are formed when there is a concentration of bile acids, cholesterol and phospholipids. A gall stone on its own is asymptomatic, but if it escapes and lodges in the bile duct then it causes symptoms. Gallbladder attacks can mimic a heart attack.

Symptoms of a lodged gall stone: nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, pain below the sternum that radiates to the back, brown urine, fever and jaundice.

Who to consult: Dietician, GP, herbalist, naturopath.