Gallstones
How gallbladder stones form and why the pain shows up after a fatty meal.
Esas piedras dolorosas no se forman en un día: nacen del colesterol espeso que se cristaliza en un saco estancado.
The gallbladder is a small reservoir under the liver that stores bile, the fluid the liver makes to dissolve the fats in food. When bile becomes saturated with cholesterol and the gallbladder empties poorly, that cholesterol crystallises and over time forms stones: gallstones.
Many people have them and never notice. The problem appears when, after a fatty meal, the gallbladder contracts and a stone blocks the outlet: pressure rises and causes biliary colic, an intense pain in the upper right abdomen that can spread to the back. If the pain lasts for hours or comes with fever, persistent vomiting or yellowing of the skin and eyes, it needs urgent medical attention.
