Gallbladder Issues & Back Pain: Causes, Symptoms & Solutions

Back pain is one of the most common ailments, affecting 80 percent of Americans at least once during their lives. Often, especially in the case of women, its source lies in the gallbladder.

Conditions

• Gallbladder back pain is usually a sign that the patient is contending with conditions like gallstones, cholecystitis or gallbladder cancer.

Causes

• Gallbladder back pain is typically attributed to gallstones, which obstruct the common bile duct, causing inflammation or improper functioning of the gallbladder. Pain in the abdomen radiates to the lower back, which causes gall bladder back pain.

Symptoms

• In addition to back pain, common symptoms of problems with the gall bladder include chest pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, gas, jaundice and diarrhea.

Testing

• If you're not sure whether or not your back pain is actually gallbladder back pain, you might consider having an abdominal ultrasound, X-ray or other imaging test performed.

Treatment

• Treating gallstones can eliminate gall bladder back pain. In many cases gallstones can be treated through changes in diet or with pain medication prescribed by a doctor.