In medical school, a popular (but admittedly unflattering) mnemonic to remember people who are most likely to suffer from gallbladder problems are "the four Fs - fat, fertile, forty, and female" and seeing a patient with severe abdominal pain like this in my clinic I have to consider a gallbladder problem in my diagnosis.
Your gallbladder is the organ that stores bile, a digestive substance made in your liver. Sometimes the amount of cholesterol and bile acids are out of balance, and stones can form which may block the duct between your gallbladder and liver and small intestine. Most people with gallstones have no symptoms, but others can get excruciating pain - especially after eating - usually in the right upper part of your abdomen, but which may radiate to your back or shoulder. Fever, nausea and vomiting may also occur, as well as yellowing of the skin if your bile duct is obstructed. If pain like this occurs, one should seek medical help, because the cure is often surgical removal of the gallbladder.
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