{"id":39501,"date":"2026-06-11T07:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T07:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=39501"},"modified":"2026-06-08T16:15:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T16:15:01","slug":"when-to-seek-care-for-gallbladder-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/when-to-seek-care-for-gallbladder-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"When to seek care for gallbladder issues","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

The gallbladder is an organ we don\u2019t often think about. But did you know gallbladder removal is the most common general surgery performed in the United States?<\/p>\n

What is the gallbladder, and why would you need it removed? We spoke to general surgeon Amber Wooten, MD<\/a>, with MultiCare General Surgery \u2013 Cascade in Yakima<\/a> to get answers to these questions, understand symptoms and know when to seek care.<\/p>\n

How the gallbladder works<\/h2>\n

The gallbladder is a small digestive organ located under the liver. It stores and releases bile, a fluid that helps break down fats so they can be more easily digested.<\/p>\n

Because the gallbladder is involved in processing fats, eating habits can directly affect how well it functions. People who consume a lot of processed or fast foods high in fat and cholesterol are more at risk of the formation of gallstones.<\/p>\n

Gallstones are hardened pieces of bile products (typically cholesterol) and are the most common reason for gallbladder issues. They may not cause problems (you can pass them without even knowing it), but they have the potential to block the bile ducts and cause pain or lead to more severe complications.<\/p>\n

The gallbladder vs. the appendix<\/h2>\n

While gallbladder issues can have overlapping symptoms with appendicitis \u2014 like nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain \u2014 it\u2019s important to distinguish between the two.<\/p>\n

Both the appendix and gallbladder are located on the right side of the body. The appendix is in the lower right quadrant, and the gallbladder is in the upper right quadrant. With gallbladder issues, pain usually starts there and radiates into the shoulder blade and chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith gallbladder pain, symptoms typically appear 30 minutes to an hour after a meal and will come and go,\u201d Dr. Wooten says. \u201cWith the appendix, the pain is persistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Symptoms you shouldn\u2019t ignore<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seek\u00a0immediate\u00a0medical attention if you have:<\/p>\n