ICD-10: K80Digestive System DiseasesGeneral Severity
Cholelithiasis
Cholelithiasis is the medical term for having hard, stone-like deposits called gallstones inside your gallbladder.
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Find GastroenterologistsClinical Overview
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped pouch tucked under your liver that stores bile, a digestive fluid produced by your liver to help break down fats. Cholelithiasis occurs when the substances within that bile, like cholesterol or pigments, harden into solid pieces.
These stones can range in size from a tiny grain of sand to a large golf ball. When these stones block the tubes that carry bile out of the gallbladder, they can cause sudden, intense pain.
Common Symptoms
- Sudden, rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right part of your belly.
- Back pain, specifically between your shoulder blades.
- Pain in your right shoulder.
- Nausea or vomiting.