Cholecystitis

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it?: Cholecystitis (ko-lee-sis-ti-tis) is an inflammation of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small pouch near the liver where bile is stored. Bile helps to break down food, especially fats. The gallbladder can become irritated and swollen. A common cause of cholecystitis is gallstones. Pain from gallstones is called "biliary colic." Many people have gallstones but do not know it. A gallstone may stay in the gallbladder or pass through it without causing problems. Sometimes the stone gets stuck on its way out of the gallbladder.

Causes: Gallstones are a common cause of cholecystitis. You may be more likely to have gallstones if your parents had them. Other causes may be being overweight, having many children, or drinking too much alcohol. Eating foods high in fat may cause gallstones.

Signs and Symptoms: You may not have any symptoms. But you may have abdominal (belly) pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, or jaundice (yellow skin or eyes). You may feel swollen (bloated), not be able to eat fatty food, or burp more than usual.

Care: You may need aspirin, acetaminophen (uh-c-tuh-min-o-fin), or ibuprofen (i-bew-pro-fin) for pain. Rest until you feel better. You may need to be put in the hospital for more tests and treatment. You may need surgery to take out your gallbladder.

Do's and Don'ts: Drink clear liquids (water, apple juice) during an attack. Do not eat. To keep from having more attacks, do not eat foods that give you heartburn. Try to eat foods that are low in fat.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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