What Is It? Biliary colic is a steady or intermittent ache in
the upper abdomen, usually under the right side of the rib cage.
It happens when something blocks the normal flow of bile from
the gallbladder. Bile is a liquid that helps to digest fats.
Under normal circumstances, bile is made in the liver and stored
in the gallbladder. When you eat a meal, bile passes from the
gallbladder through the cystic duct and the common bile duct
into the small intestine, where it mixes with partially digested
food. Gallstones are the most common reason for biliary colic.
If a gallstone blocks either of these ducts, the normal flow of
bile into the intestine is disrupted. The muscle cells in the
bile duct contract vigorously to try to move the stone, causing
the pain of biliary colic. A stricture of the bile duct or a
tumor also can block bile flow and cause biliary colic. A person
with biliary colic usually complains of an ache or a feeling of
pressure in the upper abdomen. This pain can be in the center of
the upper abd