Biliary colic typically presents with pain that:

Biliary colic typically presents with pain that:

• A. Worsens after meals
• B. Improves after meals
• C. Is constant and unchanging
• D. Occurs only at night

Answer: (A)

Biliary colic happens when a gallstone momentarily blocks the cystic duct during the gallbladder’s post-meal contraction. After a meal, especially fatty ones, cholecystokinin prompts the gallbladder to contract to bile-release. If a stone is in the cystic duct, this contraction increases pressure and provokes sudden, intense pain in the right upper quadrant or epigastric area that can radiate to the back or shoulder. The pain is episodic and typically begins after meals and lasts for hours until the stone shifts or the pressure eases, rather than being constant or occurring only at night. This is why the best answer is that the pain worsens after meals.

Biliary colic happens when a gallstone momentarily blocks the cystic duct during the gallbladder’s post-meal contraction. After a meal, especially fatty ones, cholecystokinin prompts the gallbladder to contract to bile-release. If a stone is in the cystic duct, this contraction increases pressure and provokes sudden, intense pain in the right upper quadrant or epigastric area that can radiate to the back or shoulder. The pain is episodic and typically begins after meals and lasts for hours until the stone shifts or the pressure eases, rather than being constant or occurring only at night. This is why the best answer is that the pain worsens after meals.