The gallbladder is a small organ located on the right side of the abdomen, beneath the liver. It stores bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver. Gallbladder problems can cause inflammation, infection, and pain. Here are some common signs and symptoms of gallbladder problems:

• Abdominal pain: Pain is the most common symptom of a gallbladder problem. It can be mild and intermittent or quite severe and frequent. It may begin to radiate to other areas of the body, including the back and chest. The pain is usually felt in the upper right side of the abdomen under the right rib cage, where the gallbladder is located. It may also be felt in the middle of the abdomen or radiate to the right shoulder blade. An episode usually lasts a few hours and occurs intermittently but not every day.

• Nausea or vomiting: Nausea or vomiting may occur with biliary pain. Chronic gallbladder disease may cause digestive problems, such as acid reflux and gas.

• Fever or chills: This may indicate infection and should be treated immediately. A persistent blockage, infection, or tumor in the gallbladder can cause acute inflammation, which feels like a more intense version of biliary colic. Nausea and vomiting may be accompanied by fever and chills. The pain is steadier and may be extreme enough to bring you to the emergency room. You may have an accelerated heart rate or abrupt drop in blood pressure during gallbladder contractions, such as after a meal.

• Jaundice: Marked by yellow-tinted skin, it may be a symptom of a block or stone in the common bile duct. Stones lodged in the common bile duct can cause symptoms that are similar to those produced by stones that lodge in the gallbladder.

• Pale stools: Pale stools may indicate a blockage in the bile duct.

• Tenderness of the abdomen when touched: Gallbladder inflammation can cause tenderness in the abdomen when touched.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention. Severe, frequent, or constant abdominal pain, jaundice, pale stools, sweating, low-grade fever, or chills, if they’re accompanied by the above symptoms, should prompt you to seek immediate medical attention.