The gallbladder is a small, hollow, abdominal organ found just beneath the liver that functions as a storage “pouch” for bile. It is where fresh bile produced by the liver collects, waits, and becomes more concentrated. The concentrated bile, also known as gall, helps in the digestion and absorption of dietary fat from the food that we eat.
When we eat foods that are rich in fat, a chemical transmitter called cholecystokinin (CCK) is released by the cells of the duodenum and jejunum (segments of the small intestine). CCK tells the gallbladder of the presence of fat to be digested, causing it to release the stored concentrated bile found inside it. The bile then drains into the small intestine where it emulsifies the ingested fat, allowing the body to break it down and absorb it.
When our gallbladder becomes diseased due to a variety of conditions that prevent it from functioning properly, we become sick and notice changes in our body and in the way we feel. These changes are signs that tell us that something wrong is happening inside us. Knowing these different signs of a gallbladder problem can help us recognize it early, affording us time to seek treatment before the disease becomes serious.
Here are the different signs and symptoms of gallbladder problem that people should be aware of.
1. Cola-Colored Urine
Gallbladder problems cause cholestasis, a condition where bile flow slows down or comes to a stop, causing conjugated bilirubin and liver waste it contains to back-up into the blood stream. The excess bilirubin, a yellowish to dark brown pigment, is then filtered from the blood via the kidneys which later gets rid of it in urine in the form of urobilin, the chemical responsible for the yellow color of pee. Too much urobilin in the urine causes it to darken and mimic the color of tea or cola.
