Do patients with gallstones experience abdominal bloating?

In general, whether patients with gallstones experience bloating depends on the severity of their condition and whether complications have developed. If discomfort occurs, prompt medical attention is recommended. The specific analysis is as follows:

If gallstones lead to complications such as cholecystitis or bile duct obstruction, or if the stones repeatedly impair gallbladder contractile function, normal bile secretion may be disrupted. This interferes with food digestion and absorption—particularly the breakdown of fatty foods—causing excess gas production in the intestines and resulting in abdominal bloating. This is often accompanied by symptoms such as right upper quadrant abdominal pain and nausea.

If gallstones are small in size and few in number, without bile duct blockage or inflammation, gallbladder function remains largely intact and bile excretion is not significantly affected. Digestion proceeds normally, and bloating rarely occurs. Some patients may only experience mild bloating after consuming large amounts of high-fat foods.

In daily life, it's important to maintain a light diet, reduce intake of fried foods, fatty meats, and other high-fat foods, and avoid overeating. Eating regular meals helps prevent prolonged fasting, which can excessively stimulate gallbladder contraction. If bloating occurs frequently along with abdominal pain, timely medical evaluation is necessary. Imaging tests such as ultrasound should be performed to assess the condition and prevent worsening complications.