10 Gallbladder Infection Symptoms
Symptom #9: Tenderness
As already mentioned, you are likely to be experiencing pain if you have a gallbladder inflammation. The pain can be quite severe in some cases, and it can often be felt regardless of what you are doing. However, tenderness is the pain or discomfort when the affected area is touched. Pain is patient’s perception, while tenderness is a sign that a physician elicits.
In cases of a gallbladder infection, patients can find that the right upper quadrant of the abdomen (RUQ) can be very tender to the touch. This can leave them wanting to sit or lay in positions that prevent contact with the area. To evaluate tenderness, the clinician may elicit the Murphy sign, which is a specific but not a sensitive physical sign for cholecystitis. It is described as tenderness and an inspiratory pause elicited during palpation of the RUQ. This sign helps the clinician evaluate if there is peritoneal irritation (lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and cover for abdominal organs) caused by the inflammation of the gallbladder.
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