Gallstones and indigestion can cause abdominal symptoms, making it tricky to tell them apart. However, there are some key differences between the two. Here we explain how to spot them so you know when to seek medical care.
Keep reading to learn about the differences between gallstones and indigestion with Mr Achal Khanna.
What are gallstones?
Gallstones are hardened stones that develop in your gallbladder, a small organ that stores bile (a digestive fluid that helps break down fats in your food). If the bile in your gallbladder hardens, gallstones can occur.
Thickened gallstones can lead to blocked gallbladder ducts, preventing the release of bile from your digestive system.
What is indigestion?
Indigestion is a common problem that causes discomfort after eating. Generally, indigestion goes away by itself or with help from over-the-counter medicines.
Indigestion can make you feel too full and cause other symptoms that you might mistake for a gallstones attack.
How are gallstones and indigestion similar?
Gallstones and indigestion may seem like distinct conditions, but they have some similarities, meaning it’s easy to confuse them. For instance, pain from gallstones and indigestion can both occur after eating a heavy meal.
Similarly, both conditions can cause discomfort in your upper abdomen and symptoms like nausea, bloating and pain.
However, there are some vital and apparent differences between the two, which we will delve into now.
What’s the difference between gallstones and indigestion?
Despite their similarities, gallstones and indigestion are two distinct conditions.
Gallstones are hardened stones of bile in the gallbladder, while indigestion is an often harmless condition that causes abdominal discomfort after eating. Gallstones can also worsen and require surgical treatment, whereas you can usually manage indigestion with over-the-counter remedies and lifestyle changes.
It’s important to know the differences as it can be easy to confuse their symptoms.
Symptoms of gallstones
Gallstones are unlikely to cause symptoms unless they block your bile duct. When this happens, you may experience sudden, severe abdominal pain called biliary colic. You will usually feel this pain in the centre of your abdomen or just under your ribs on the right-hand side.
Unlike symptoms of indigestion, you can’t relieve gallstone symptoms by going to the toilet or being sick. However, eating fatty foods can trigger them. Then, biliary colic can occur at any point after and may happen during the night.
Other symptoms you may experience with gallstones include:
- A high temperature or fever
- Itchy skin
- Diarrhoea
- Chills
- Loss of appetite
- Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice)
Symptoms of indigestion
People feel indigestion symptoms differently and may have one or a combination of symptoms.
Common indigestion symptoms can include:
- Heartburn (a burning feeling in your chest)
- Feeling full and bloated
- Nausea
- Belching and passing wind
- Bringing up food or acid
Generally, abdominal pain is not associated with indigestion, but it’s gallstones’ primary symptom. So, if you have the above symptoms but no pain, it’s unlikely to be biliary colic.
Indigestion symptoms also typically occur shortly after eating. In contrast, food-triggered gallstone symptoms can occur at any point.
Different causes
Another distinction is the underlying causes of gallstones and indigestion. Experts believe a chemical imbalance of bile in the gallbladder leads to gallstones forming. It’s thought that high cholesterol levels or a waste product called bilirubin result in a gallstone-causing chemical imbalance.
Meanwhile, the causes of indigestion can vary. Although it’s often brought on as a result of acid reflux. In this condition, stomach acid irritates the stomach lining or throat, which can be made worse by your diet, being overweight, smoking, stress and pregnancy.
Can gallstones cause indigestion?
Gallstones can’t cause indigestion independently, but they can cause indigestion-like symptoms. What you eat can also trigger gallstone symptoms, so you may confuse it with indigestion.
However, indigestion does not cause biliary colic, so it’s best to speak with your doctor if you develop sudden, sharp pain that does not disappear.
When to seek help for your gallstone or indigestion symptoms
It’s crucial to know when to seek medical care for your symptoms. Generally, indigestion symptoms will resolve unaided as your body digests food. However, recurrent and persistent symptoms may require investigative tests to determine the underlying cause.
Seek urgent medical care if you experience sudden, severe abdominal pain lasting for more than eight hours and other symptoms like a fever and vomiting.
You can learn more about seeking medical care for gallstones in our article ‘Understanding gallstone complications and when to seek treatment’.
Find gallstone support with Mr Achal Khanna
Mr Achal Khanna can help if you have gallstones or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms. He can thoroughly investigate your symptoms and determine whether gallstones or a medical condition like acid reflux caused them.
Book your consultation with Mr Achal Khanna today and we’ll help you find the root cause of your gastrointestinal symptoms.