Can you drink water with acute cholecystitis?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on April 17, 2025
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Whether patients with acute cholecystitis can drink water mainly depends on the course of the disease. In the early stages of acute cholecystitis, patients may experience digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distension. At this time, they should not drink water; instead, they require fasting and gastrointestinal decompression to better control the condition, especially to prevent the occurrence of intestinal obstruction. After antibiotic treatment and control of the inflammation, once the gastrointestinal function is fully restored, patients can then drink water, but only in small amounts. For patients with acute cholecystitis, if symptoms do not improve after conservative treatment, it may even be necessary to surgically remove the gallbladder to achieve a definitive cure. The primary method is laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which can effectively treat the condition.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of cholelithiasis cholecystitis?

Cholecystitis due to gallstones is relatively common in clinical practice, with abdominal pain being a frequent reason for seeking medical attention. The pain usually manifests in the upper abdomen or right side, occurring in intermittent or continuous episodes. Typically, the nature of the pain is described as distension, colic, or dull pain. Patients may also experience radiating pain in the lower back, typically extending to the right side of the abdomen. Additionally, a small number of patients may experience nausea, vomiting, and even fever alongside abdominal pain. Fevers are usually mild to moderate, with body temperatures around 38°C (100.4°F). Nausea and vomiting occur as a digestive response following gallbladder contraction and subsequent inflammatory stimulation, with vomitus generally consisting of gastric contents and bile, but not blood. Therefore, if gallstone-induced cholecystitis is suspected, it is recommended for patients to undergo active endoscopic removal, typically via laparoscopic surgery. Of course, older patients might be treated conservatively with medications.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Do you need to fast and hold your urine for a gallbladder inflammation B-ultrasound?

When undergoing an ultrasound for cholecystitis, fasting is required, but there is no need to hold urine. However, if the examination involves the adnexa of the uterus, bladder, prostate, and other areas, it requires holding urine to perform the test, allowing the prostate, adnexa, etc., to sufficiently distend. This helps in more clearly observing pathological changes. Patients with cholecystitis need to fast before an ultrasound. If food is consumed before the scan, the gallbladder contracts more quickly, making it difficult to accurately identify lesions. Patients with cholecystitis may experience chills, fever, right upper abdominal pain, jaundice, yellowing skin, dark urine, etc. In severe cases, patients may develop septic shock and require active treatment measures.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Diet after relief of acute cholecystitis

After the relief of acute cholecystitis, he still needs to pay attention to his diet: First, he should avoid spicy and irritating foods, such as chili peppers, barbecue, garlic, etc., avoid hard-to-digest foods, and avoid foods high in fat to reduce the burden on the gallbladder, such as fatty animal organs. Second, although the symptoms of acute cholecystitis have recovered, it is still necessary to maintain a light diet, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, which are rich in vitamins and trace elements, to keep the bowels open and prevent other complications. Third, after the symptoms of acute cholecystitis have recovered, it is also appropriate to supplement some foods high in protein, which can enhance the patient's resistance and facilitate the recovery of the condition.

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Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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The difference between acute cholecystitis and chronic cholecystitis

Chronic cholecystitis clinically manifests as recurrent dull pain in the upper abdomen and biliary colic, which the patient can quickly relieve on their own; acute cholecystitis involves more severe pain that cannot be relieved without intervention, and is usually accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting. In chronic cholecystitis, pressing on the right upper abdomen elicits no special reaction; in acute cholecystitis, pressing on the right upper abdomen causes obvious pain, known as a positive Murphy's sign. Acute cholecystitis is accompanied by a significant increase in white blood cells, and an ultrasound can reveal a marked enlargement and thickening of the gallbladder wall; chronic cholecystitis does not show these specific characteristics.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms when there are problems with the gallbladder?

Gallbladder issues, specifically symptoms of cholecystitis, mainly include chills, fever, persistent dull pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, episodic colic pain that radiates to the right shoulder and back, and may also be accompanied by jaundice, dark urine, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Patients with cholecystitis often experience sudden pain at night, typically due to overeating or consuming greasy foods. Once cholecystitis occurs, it is advised to seek medical attention at a regular hospital as soon as possible, complete the relevant diagnostic tests, such as imaging studies of the abdomen, consider surgical treatment, and engage in active anti-infection treatment.