How it feels
The pain sits under the ribs on the right. It often starts after eating, especially a fatty meal, and can last from minutes to a few hours. Some people also feel nauseated, bloated, or unable to tolerate certain foods.
When gallstones are the cause, that episode is biliary colic. The story alone is not the diagnosis. At the visit I examine you and, in most cases, an ultrasound is enough to see the stones. If another study is needed, I say so.
What does not help
Cutting fat from meals can space out the discomfort. It does not dissolve the stones, and it does not stop an episode from becoming complicated. Waiting for the pain to “always pass” is a poor plan once it has already come back.
Strong painkillers, taken on your own, can hide a picture that is no longer a simple colic. If the pain does not settle, that is not the moment to medicate at home and see how tomorrow looks.
When to book the consultation
Book when the pain has happened more than once, when fatty meals clearly disagree with you, or when an ultrasound has already shown stones and you want to know whether surgery is indicated in your case.
At office 501, Hospital Galenia, I review the study, tell you whether surgery is indicated and, if it is, how it would be done in your case. The quote is given in writing, with a validity period. I do not publish a fixed figure.
Colics that settle can often be scheduled. When something is urgent, that is decided at the assessment, not online.
When not to wait for an appointment
Some pictures are not a colic that is about to settle: pain that does not ease, fever, chills, yellow skin or eyes, persistent vomiting, or pain with a general feeling of being unwell. That can be an inflamed gallbladder, a stone in the bile duct, or pancreatitis from a gallstone.
In that case you go to the emergency department at Hospital Galenia. You do not wait for a gap in the diary. Switchboard 998 891 5200. If you ask them to reach me, the hospital does so when the case is mine.
This guide is for orientation. It does not replace a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Does a single episode already mean surgery?
Not always. An episode that settled can be assessed without rushing. If the pain returns, the indication is clearer. The decision uses the examination and the ultrasound, not the first account alone.
Does a low-fat diet avoid surgery?
It can lessen the discomfort. It does not dissolve the stones, and it does not replace an assessment once the pain has returned or no longer settles.
Is biliary colic an emergency operation?
Pain that settles can often be scheduled. Pain that does not settle, fever, or yellow skin needs to be assessed at the hospital right away.
