Can any one specify the exact location of the pancreas & gall bladder ?

Question

Which side of the body does the pain associated with these organs occur ?

Answer 1

The pancreas is a "retroperitoneal" organ. The peritoneal cavity is the abdominal space in which the organs can move, somewhat. If the loops of small bowel and colon are retracted downward, and the stomach is lifted upward, a space behind the stomach called "the lesser sac" can be accessed which lies behind the stomach. The back wall of this space is dominated by the pancreas.

Pain from the pancreas is felt as a sharp stabbing pain just below the breastbone, in the uppermost portion of the abdomen termed the "epigastrium". It is often associated with mid-back pain and is described as pain that stabs through from the front to the back. This is because the pancreas, as a retroperitoneal organ, literally attaches more to the back body wall than to the front. The pain is constant and unyielding. Once it starts, it continues for days, essentially unabated.

For people with inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) any stimulation of this organ causes intense increase in symptoms. The symptoms of pancreatitis are actually caused by the inappropriate release of digestive enzymes into the substance of the pancreas and the surrounding tissue. These digestive enzymes do exactly what they're supposed to do. They digest biologic molecules. They have no idea that these biologic molecules are actually "self" !!!

The gallbladder is located on the right side of the body, just below the rib cage. The gallbladder is attached to the underside of the liver which is actually protected up under the rib cage on the right side. The liver is variable in size for different people, but the postion of the gallbladder is essentially consistant. It can be found below the edge of the ribs just about in line with the nipple on the right side.

Unlike the pancreas which lies stuck to the back body wall in the "retroperitoneum", the gallbladder is "intraperitoneal" meaning that it is within the abdominal space. The tip of the gallbladder actually touches the front body wall in most people because it hangs just a bit lower than the lower edge of the liver.

Pain from the gallbladder can be experienced in a number of ways. First of all, the cause of pain is typically that gallstones within it are blocking the flow of bile outward as the gallbladder contracts. For this reason, the pain patter is experienced in waves as the organ contracts against resistance and then relaxes. The waves tend to start just about half an hour after eating, and then roll up and down over hours.

The nerves that actually go to the gallbladder are "dumb". Organ nerves don't have the organization that nerves to the skin have. If your eyes are closed and someone touches you on the arm, you'll be able to instantly tell which arm and where on the arm you were contacted. Not so with the internal organs. The experience of sensation from organs doesn't give enough information to tell you that you are being contacted on an organ that sits in the left side of the abdomen or the right. Organ pain from the organs in the upper abdominal space (stomach, liver, pancreas, duodenum, etc.) tend to be experienced as epigastric location pain much like pancreatitis. Midgut pain from the small intestine is usually felt just above the bellybutton and colon pain is felt as lower abdominal pain, also on the midline of the body without right/left predominance. When the gallbladder hurts, the pain typically starts at the epigastrium, just below the breastbone, but then once the gallbladder actually becomes hot, red and inflammed, the portion of the gallbladder sticking out from under the edge of the liver and touching the front abdominal wall starts to cause very localized pain! The front body wall has "smart" nerves which instantly tell where the pain is coming from.

Gallbladder attacks are therefore often described as episodes of pain brought on by eating (primarily rich foods) which have a quality of waxing and waning, which start as vague pain in the epigastrium and then become sharply worse and localize to the right upper quadrant, just below the rib line.

To complicate matters, there is a common clinical entity known as gallstone pancreatitis! In gallstone pancreatitis, gallstones are ejected from the gallbladder and pass down the bile duct. Just where the bile duct enters into the intestine, it joins with the pancreatic duct in a common channel. In some patients, the gallstone lodges just at this confluence of ducts and causes obstruction of both. These ducts are actually within the head of the pancreas at that point, and the surrounding inflammation lights off an episode of pancreatitis! The patient will have both gallbladder pain and pancreatic pain. They may even become jaundiced (yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes) because of blockage within the bile system and resulting back-up of bile chemicals (bilirubin) in the blood stream.

Pancreatitis in the setting of gallstone disease is usually mild and self limiting, but on occassion it is severe. Pancreatitis is no joke, this is a disease process with the potential to kill. The release of inappropriate digestive enzymes into the abdominal space can cause severe systemic inflammation and organ failure.

Because of this, and other potential complications of gallstone disease, and because the procedure to remove the gallbladder is so well tolerated, the safest recommendation for anyone who has gallstones and associated symptoms and who is healthy enough to tolerate a generally well tolerated operation, is to remove the gallbladder and therefore the stones and the stone forming capacity.

I hope that answers your question. :)

Answer 2

Pancreas Location

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can any one specify the exact location of the pancreas & gall bladder ?
Which side of the body does the pain associated with these organs occur ?

Answer 4

Answer by belly doc was very good. I started with Pancreatic pain in my back and below the rib cage. It is now almost completely localized just under the right ribs in line with the nipples. It is a sharp pain that comes and goes and i can almost touch the pain through my skin. It does get higher when i eat fatty food about 15 mins after the meal. I have been asked by the doc to get a Gall Bladder ultrasound and a chest xray. Hope it does not get serious. I am only 35 and several years to live....

Answer 5

Fix Forward Head Posture Fast!

Answer 6

Get Rid of Gallstones in as Little

Answer 7

If you are concerned about internal pain go see your doctor.