This Pain Map Could Help Reveal Exactly Why Your Stomach is Hurting

Biliary Colic (Upper Left Abdomen)

The digestive system contains a network of bile ducts. These tiny tubes carry bile, a fluid that breakdowns fat in food and aids digestion, from the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas to the small intestines. Biliary colic occurs when these ducts are blocked by gallstones, pebble-like structures that develop when bile builds up and hardens in the gallbladder. The blockages can cause pain in the middle and upper right abdomen that spreads all the way up to the right shoulder.

Most of the time, biliary colic goes away without treatment when the gallstone gets unstuck and passes out of the bile ducts naturally. Over-the-counter medication can be used to relieve pain while waiting for the gallstone to pass. If that doesn’t happen, the gallstone will need to be dissolved by a doctor. Surgical gallbladder removal is usually recommended to prevent gallstones and complications like biliary colic from occurring again.