Gall bladder conditions refer to any condition that affects the gall bladder. The gall bladder is a small sac attached to the liver which holds bile. Bile is the digestive fluid produced by the liver which is used to break down dietary fats. A range of gall bladder conditions can occur, however, the most commonly known is gallstones.
Gallstones are solid stones formed in the gall bladder from a combination of bile salts, cholesterol and calcium. Stones develop through either insufficient emptying of the gall bladder, or due to excess cholesterol in the bile crystallising. Gallstones can vary in size from a few millimetres to a few centimetres and vary in the number present.
The gall bladder is not a vital organ so, if gallstones or any other type of gall bladder condition is causing problems, people may have surgery to remove the gall bladder.
Symptoms and characteristics
The signs and symptoms for gall bladder conditions vary considerably, the more typical include:
- abdominal pain
- nausea and vomiting
- anorexia
- jaundice
- abnormal enlargement of the liver known as hepatomegaly
- enlarged gall bladder.
Workplace adjustments and solutions
Regarding employment, sick leave arrangements may be required to allow for surgical removal of the gall bladder and recovery. Depending on the type of gall bladder removal surgery, recovery periods vary. When returning to work, it is initially recommended that no heavy lifting, or strenuous work is undertaken until medically authorised.
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References
Better Health Channel 2010, Gall bladder removal, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 10 November 2011, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gall_bladder_removal?open.
Better Health Channel 2011, Gallstones, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 10 November 2011,
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gallstones?open.
netdoctor 1998-2011, Gall bladder disease, NetDoctor.co.uk, London, viewed 10 November 2011,
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/gall bladderdisease.htm.
RD 2011, Symptoms of Gall bladder conditions, Health Grades Inc., online, viewed 10 November 2011,
http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/g/gallblad/symptoms.htm.