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 a digestive fluid produced by the liver used to break down dietary fats.
Specific types of gall bladder conditions include:
- gallstones
- gall bladder cancer
- cholangitis
- primary sclerosing cholangitis
- gall bladder pancreatitis
- bile duct disorders
- cholecystitis
- bile duct cancer
- fascioliasis
- biliary colic
- biliary disorder.
Gallstones are the more common condition relating to the gall bladder. Gallstones are solid stones formed in the gall bladder as a direct result of too much cholesterol in the diet. The excess cholesterol forms crystals from which gallstones develop. They can vary in size from a few millimetres to a few centimetres.
The gall bladder is not a vital organ and so if gallstones or any other type of gall bladder condition is causing problems then people may have surgery to eliminate symptoms.
Symptoms and characteristics
The signs and symptoms for gall bladder conditions vary considerable, the more typical include:
- abdominal pain
- nausea and vomiting
- anorexia
- jaundice
- hepatomegaly
- enlarged gallbladder.
In approximately 70 per cent of gallstone cases, there are no symptoms.
Statistics
Gallstones affect approximately 15 per cent of people aged 50 years and over, the majority being women.
Workplace adjustments and solutions
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References
Better Health Channel, 2006, Gall bladder removal, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 17 March 2007, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gall_bladder_removal?open>.
NetDoctor.co.uk 2007, Gallbladder disease, NetDoctor.co.uk, London, viewed 17 March 2007, <http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/gallbladderdisease.htm>.