Ask the doctor: Do I need gallbladder surgery?
I've been having abdominal pain that may be due to gallstones. Is surgery the best solution, or are there other things I can try first?
When gallstones are present, the gallbladder's contractions can force one into the neck of the gland at the opening to the cystic duct—the tube that carries bile from the gallbladder to the common bile duct. As the gallbladder relaxes, the stones often fall back from the opening, and the pain slowly subsides. The pain may be mild or it may be intense. It usually lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
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