Acute Cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gall bladder. The gall bladder is an organ that is found under the liver and helps the body digest fat.

Cholecystitis can become very serious and in most cases, requires immediate medical attention. Consult your doctor as soon as possible if you think you have acute cholecystitis. This condition can become chronic if you persist for a long time or if you have recurrent symptoms of inflammation.

Symptoms of Acute Cholecystitis

The most common symptom that you are suffering from acute cholecystitis is the abdominal pain that lasts for several hours. This pain is usually in the central or right part of the upper abdomen. It can also spread to the right shoulder or back. The pain of acute cholecystitis may experience severe pain or dull cramps.

Other symptoms include:

• Clay-colored stool
• Nausea
• Temperature
• Yellow skin and whites of the eyes
• Pain, usually after a meal
• Chills
• Bloating abdomen

Causes of Acute Cholecystitis

Gallbladder stones are by far the most common cause of acute cholecystitis. Bile may accumulate in the bladder and bladder blocks the bile duct. This leads to inflammation. Acute cholecystitis can also be caused by a serious illness or cancer. However, these causes are rare.

The condition is considered chronic when cholecystitis attacks recur or prolong.

Women get gallbladder stones more often than men. They also have an increased risk of developing acute cholecystitis.

The risk increases with age for both men and women, although the reason for this is unclear.

Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis

Abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image of your organs. This is the most commonly used imaging test to diagnose cholecystitis.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is a procedure that creates an image of the upper portion of the small intestine, liver, gall bladder and bile ducts.

Cholangiography uses the dye injected into the bile ducts to show the gall bladder and bile ducts on an x-ray.

CT scans are computer images used to create images of your internal organs.

Your doctor may need to perform more tests if you have been diagnosed with acute cholecystitis. These tests may include a liver function test and a complete blood count.

Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis

Severe abdominal pain may require immediate treatment. You should always consult your doctor if you start having severe and unexplained abdominal pain. Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder if the cholecystitis continues to recur. This is called cholecystectomy, which can be performed laparoscopically or by open surgery.

You can digest food normally without gall bladder. The bile that normally flow in the gall bladder will be redirected to the small intestine.

How to Prevent Acute Cholecystitis

You may be able to reduce the risk of developing acute or chronic cholecystitis, losing weight and eating a healthier diet. Cholesterol is believed to play a role in the formation of gallstones. You should avoid foods high in fat and cholesterol.

Being overweight increases the amount of cholesterol in bile. This increases the chances of developing gallstones. If you choose to lose weight to reduce the risk of gallstones, it is best to do it gradually. Rapid weight loss can disturb the delicate bile chemistry in the body. This can increase the chances of developing gallstones.