Acute cholecystitis may present with referred pain to which area?

Acute cholecystitis may present with referred pain to which area?

• A. Chest
• B. Abdomen
• C. Shoulder
• D. Back

Answer: (C)

Referred pain from gallbladder inflammation comes from the diaphragm being irritated. The gallbladder sits beneath the liver on the right side, and when inflamed it irritates the diaphragmatic peritoneum. Sensory signals from the diaphragm travel with the phrenic nerve (C3–C5) to the neck and shoulder region, so the brain perceives this visceral pain as coming from the shoulder area. That’s why acute cholecystitis commonly presents with right shoulder pain. The other areas are less typical for this condition because they involve different nerve pathways or organs; chest pain would suggest heart or thoracic causes, abdominal pain is nonspecific, and back pain points to other etiologies.

Referred pain from gallbladder inflammation comes from the diaphragm being irritated. The gallbladder sits beneath the liver on the right side, and when inflamed it irritates the diaphragmatic peritoneum. Sensory signals from the diaphragm travel with the phrenic nerve (C3–C5) to the neck and shoulder region, so the brain perceives this visceral pain as coming from the shoulder area. That’s why acute cholecystitis commonly presents with right shoulder pain. The other areas are less typical for this condition because they involve different nerve pathways or organs; chest pain would suggest heart or thoracic causes, abdominal pain is nonspecific, and back pain points to other etiologies.