Gallbladeer: Connection to shoulder pain?

  I have a friend who has been told by someone in alternative medicine that her shoulder pain is connected to her gall bladder.  Is this possible?  If so, how?  What can be done?
Dear Kathy,
Biliary pain secondary to acute cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) or gallstones often radiates to the shoulder. However, it often starts on the right side of the abdomen or in the mid abdominal area. The shoulder pain is referred pain, i.e., pain felt in remote areas supplied by the same nerve segment as the diseased organ. It would be fairly simple to establish whether or not your friend had gallstones. A transabdominal ultrasound would fairly accurately confirm or exclude gallstones. If the pain that your friend is experiencing is confirmed to be secondary to gallbladder stones, the treatment of choice is cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder). I hope you find this information helpful.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: shoulder pain, gallstones, referred pain, cholecystectomy