Symptoms:

The main symptom is abdominal pain that is located on the upper right side or upper middle of the abdomen. The pain may:

• Be sharp, cramping, or dull
• Come and go
• Spread to the back or below the right shoulder blade
• Be worse after eating fatty or greasy foods
• Occur within minutes of a meal

Other symptoms that may occur include:

• Abdominal fullness
• Clay-colored stools
• Excess gas
• Fever
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Nausea and vomiting
• Yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)

Signs and tests:

A physical exam will show that your abdomen is tender to the touch.

Your doctor may order the following blood tests:

• Amylase and lipase
• Bilirubin
• Complete blood count ( CBC) -- may show a higher-than-normal white blood cell count
• Liver function tests

Imaging tests that can show gallstones or inflammation include:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Abdominal CT scan
• Abdominal x-ray
• Oral cholecystogram
• Gallbladder radionuclide scan