Gallstones: Causes, Treatments, and What You Need to Know

When you have gallstones, hardened deposits of digestive fluid that form in the gallbladder. Also known as biliary calculi, they can block bile flow and trigger sudden, intense pain—often after eating fatty meals. Many people carry gallstones without symptoms, but when they move or get stuck, the pain hits like a cramp that won’t quit, usually under the right ribs or radiating to the back or shoulder.

This isn’t just about diet. gallbladder disease, a group of conditions affecting the gallbladder’s ability to store and release bile often starts with too much cholesterol or bilirubin in bile, or a gallbladder that doesn’t empty right. Women over 40, people with obesity, those with diabetes, and folks on rapid weight-loss diets are at higher risk. It’s not a myth that fatty foods trigger pain—but the root cause is biological, not just what you ate last night.

When symptoms show up, doctors don’t just reach for painkillers. They check for signs of infection or blocked ducts. An ultrasound is the go-to test—it’s quick, safe, and finds most stones. If you’re having repeated attacks, surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy, a common procedure to remove the gallbladder when stones cause problems) is often the best long-term fix. It’s not scary—it’s one of the most routine surgeries done today, and most people feel better right after.

Some folks worry about life without a gallbladder. You don’t need it to digest food. Your liver still makes bile; it just flows straight into your small intestine instead of being stored. You might need to ease into fatty meals at first, but most people adapt quickly. Medications to dissolve stones exist, but they take months, rarely work well, and the stones usually come back. That’s why surgery wins.

And if you’ve heard that apple cider vinegar or herbal flushes can dissolve gallstones? They don’t. Those claims sound nice, but they’re not backed by science—and trying them can delay real treatment. If you’re in pain, don’t wait. See a doctor. The longer you wait, the higher the chance of infection, pancreatitis, or a ruptured gallbladder.

Below, you’ll find real, practical guides on what triggers gallstone pain, how medications interact with gallbladder health, and what to expect if surgery is on the table. No fluff. Just what works.