Gall stones

[NikkiB]

It's understandable that the pain of gallstones is felt around the gall bladder and downwards but my mother wants to know why she and many others get the pain in the upper back between the wings.
Does anyone know?

[cazzz1975]

Im not sure why but it really hurts when in full swing,

[bensmum]

I'm not sure why but I only know it hurts between the shoulder blades. I nfact I used to get the pain fron the middle upwards. Hope she gets them removed soon and boy will she notice the difference!

[fine,thanks]

pain experienced in the right upper back is quite common when gall bladder inflamed ie chilycystitis, described as referred pain, may be related to the gall bladder going into spasm, extremely painful.

[Scylax]

This is known as a 'referred pain'. Organs in or near the
right hypochondrium (liver area) are supplied by sensory nerves which radiate from the spine, and branch to other
well-defined areas, eg. between the scapulae. Just as
'heart-attack' pain is referred down the left arm, and up to the jaw, so biliary colic is felt in areas distant to the
pain's origin.

If the pain stems from a calculus (stone) trapped in
the common bile duct, the pain is excruciating beyond
endurance - possibly the most severe pain that can be experienced, way beyond the pain of childbirth; or
so I'm told by those who have experienced both.

Surgery is dramatically effective, 100%.

[fine,thanks]

surgery is very effective, but there are complications related to cholycystectomy especially keyhole method, ie damage to common bile duct which resulted for me majour numerous surgical procedures jaundice gastric problems a a recognised poorer quality of life M R S A twice, sorry rant over, ignore.

[Scylax]

Ref. the above answer, it is true that surgery has
its complications . All surgery has them. But
exploration of the CBD and cholecystectomy are
not known to be more hazardous than visceral
surgery elsewhere.

There comes a stage with biliary colic when surgery
is not elective, it is imperative. The pain is such that
the patient may die of surgical shock. All the rare
'maybes' are put aside, and a good surgeon is a
godsend.