Skip to content

Content

Home
Diseases
Gallstones

Author's details

  • Hakim A Abubakre
  • BA (Hons) International Business Management, Msc Digital Marketing.

Reviewer's details

  • Dr. Khashau Eleburuike
  • MBBS (Ilorin) MSc. Global Health Karolinska Institute.
  • Resident doctor in family medicine in Northen Sweden.
Gallstones are hardened lumps that form in the gallbladder, a small organ under your liver that stores bile (a digestive fluid).
  • Date Published: 2025-06-15
  • Date Updated: 2025-06-15

Gallstones

Introduction

What Are Gallstones?

Gallstones are hardened lumps that form in the gallbladder, a small organ under your liver that stores bile (a digestive fluid). These stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. You may have one stone or several.

Gallstones form when there is an imbalance in the chemicals in bile, especially cholesterol. We don’t always know why this happens, but some people are more at risk than others. Gallstones may stay in the gallbladder silently, but if they block a bile duct, they can cause pain and other serious symptoms.

Types of Gallstones

There are two main types of gallstones:

  1. Cholesterol stones – Most common. Caused by too much cholesterol in bile.
  2. Pigment stones – Made from bilirubin, a substance produced when red blood cells break down. These are more common in people with liver disease or chronic infections.

Pigment stones are further divided into:

  • Black stones – Often linked to chronic blood disorders.
  • Brown stones – Usually related to infections or blockages in the bile ducts.
Discussion

Who Is at Risk?

Gallstones are more likely to occur if you:

  • Are female.
  • Are over 40 years.
  • Are pregnant or have had multiple pregnancies.
  • Are overweight or obese.
  • Have a diet high in fat and low in fiber.
  • Have diabetes, high cholesterol, or metabolic syndrome.
  • Lose weight too quickly

More than 20% of adults may develop gallstones, but fewer than 1 in 5 will have symptoms.

 

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Gallstones?

Many people with gallstones have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, it's usually because a stone blocks a bile duct.

Common symptoms include:

  • Sudden pain in the upper right or middle abdomen, especially after eating
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fever and chills
  • Sweating and fast heartbeat
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
  • Dark-colored urine and pale stools
  • Abdominal bloating or tenderness
  • Itchy skin

This pain may come and go and is often worse after eating fatty foods.

 

Self-Care and Treatment

If gallstones cause problems, your doctor may suggest the following:

  • Pain relief – Over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen
  • Antibiotics – If there’s an infection
  • Low-fat diet – Helps reduce symptoms
  • Avoid trigger foods – Especially greasy, oily, or spicy foods
  • Gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) – Most common treatment if stones cause severe symptoms
  • Medications  – May help dissolve small cholesterol stones but are rarely used and may take months to work

 

When Should You See a Medical Doctor?

You should contact a health provider if you:

  • Have severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away
  • Have jaundice (yellowing skin or eyes)
  • Experience fever and chills
  • Have vomiting, especially if you can't keep food down
  • Think you’ve had these symptoms before, even if they passed.

 

How Can You Prevent Gallstones?

The best prevention is healthy living. Here are tips to reduce your risk:

  • Eat a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
  • Avoid saturated fats (like fried foods and fatty meats).
  • Drink water regularly.
  • Avoid skipping meals or fasting for long periods.
  • Exercise regularly – At least 30 minutes most days.
  • If overweight, lose weight gradually – Avoid crash diets or sudden weight loss.
  • Limit alcohol and sugary drinks.
References
  1. Portincasa P, Moschetta A, Palasciano G. “Cholesterol gallstone disease.” Lancet. 2006;368(9531):230-239.
  2. Shaffer EA. “Epidemiology and risk factors for gallstone disease: has the paradigm changed in the 21st century?” Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2005;7(2):132-140.
  3. Lammert, F., Gurusamy, K., Ko, C.W., Miquel, J.F., Méndez-Sánchez, N., Portincasa, P., Van Erpecum, K.J., Van Laarhoven, C.J. and Wang, D.Q.H., 2016. Gallstones. Nature reviews Disease primers, 2(1), pp.1-17.
  4. Sanders, G. and Kingsnorth, A.N., 2007. Gallstones. Bmj, 335(7614), pp.295-299
  5. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gallstones/symptoms-causes/syc-20354214