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Symptoms You Might Have Gallbladder or Biliary Tract Disease

Biliary disease is an umbrella term referring to different conditions that impact the bile ducts, gallbladder, and other organs that help transport bile.

These diseases can have mild to severe conditions that impact your overall health and quality of life and can show up in a variety of ways.

Signs and symptoms of gallbladder and biliary tract disease

There are several types of gallbladder diseases, including inflammation, gallstones, and gangrene, as well as biliary tract diseases, like colitis, Crohn’s, pancreatitis, and more.

Many of these conditions can be chronic and require long-term management and treatment, resulting in complex gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and issues that are difficult to deal with.

Common symptoms of these conditions include:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dark urine
• Light stools
• Jaundice

And there are more that are specific to each condition. People may experience varying symptoms, including bloody stools, loss of appetite, and weight changes. Any GI symptoms that you experience should be reported to your GI doctor in case they indicate something more serious.

How are these conditions diagnosed?

Diagnosing gallbladder and biliary tract disease can be tricky, and your doctor will run a range of tests and diagnostic criteria, including scans, colonoscopies, and testing of stool and urine samples.

They may put you through extensive testing to identify the specific disease or condition you’re suffering from and reach out to you based on that.

Treatment and management for these conditions

Treatment also varies based on the specific disease and symptoms. A combination of lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments, medications, and possible surgical interventions may be necessary to manage your condition. Patients may need to have gallstones removed or their gallbladder operated on or require treatment for more intensive biliary tract diseases under professional intervention.

For any concerns regarding gallbladder and biliary tract disease, contact a gastroenterologist through TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital. The gastroenterologists at our hospital provide patients with advanced diagnostics and treatment plans for various gastrointestinal conditions. You can visit our webpage to find the right gastroenterologist near you who practices at our hospital for special surgery in Houston. Visit our website to learn more and find your doctor.