Q I have gallstones. What symptoms should make me go to the hospital right away? I want to know the danger signs.
A Severe right upper abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), and high fever with chills above 38.5°C are signs that require an immediate emergency room visit. These are signs of acute cholecystitis, cholangitis, or gallbladder abscess — emergency situations.
Detailed Answer
Acute cholecystitis as a gallstone complication presents with right upper abdominal pain lasting more than 6 hours accompanied by high fever and chills. If a common bile duct stone completely blocks bile flow, jaundice (yellowing of skin and sclera), dark urine, and clay-colored stools appear along with fever, progressing to acute cholangitis with a risk of sepsis. Gallstone pancreatitis presents with upper abdominal pain radiating to the back with severe nausea and vomiting.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
If any of the above warning signs appear, please visit the emergency room, not our clinic, first. The correct sequence is to continue with Korean medicine treatment for gallbladder function recovery and relapse prevention after the acute phase has passed and the condition is stable.
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