Gallstones Found by Chance?How Often They Cause Trouble
Bloating & DigestionArticleMany women learn they have gallstones from a scan done for something else. Most silent gallstones stay quiet: in a Cleveland Clinic study of 22,257 people, about 10% developed symptoms within 5 years and about 1 in 5 within 10. Women, younger people, and those with several or large stones were more likely to get symptoms. Here is what that means and which symptoms need help fast.
In this article
An ultrasound for something else, and a line in the report: “gallstones noted.” Many women find out this way. Gallstones are common, and they often cause no symptoms at all.1 The question is how likely they are to start causing trouble.
The large US study
Cleveland Clinic researchers followed 22,257 people, half of them women, whose gallstones had been found on an ultrasound or CT scan without causing symptoms.2
| Time since the stones were found | Share who developed symptoms |
|---|---|
| 5 years | About 10%2 |
| 10 years | About 22%2 |
| 15 years | About 33%2 |
That works out to roughly 2% a year.2
Who was more likely to get symptoms
- Women: about 1.5 times the rate of men2
- Younger people: risk rose about 15% for every 5 years younger2
- Several stones: about 2.4 times2
- Large stones: about 2 times2
- Gallbladder polyps as well: about 2.5 times2
A smaller Malaysian study found the same pattern by sex: the estimated lifetime chance of symptoms was about 22% for women against 6% for men.3 Gallstones are also more likely in women, people over 40 and those who’ve lost weight quickly.1
What usually happens next
UK health advice is that treatment is usually needed only if gallstones cause symptoms or complications, or are found in the bile duct.1 The main treatment is surgery to remove the gallbladder.1
So for most women with silent stones, the plan is to know the warning signs and act if they appear.
When to get help
Don’t wait if
- Urgent
Get urgent care for:1
- Sudden, severe belly pain
- Pain spreading to your back with vomiting
- A very high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- Yellow skin or whites of the eyes
See gallstones: three treatment questions and why you feel nauseous after eating.
Try: “My scan showed gallstones but I don’t have symptoms. Given my age and the number and size of the stones, what’s my risk, and what signs should make me call you?”
Bloated by Dinner covers the symptoms that need a doctor in Chapter 3, “Too Gross to Mention?,” in a section called “The Red-Flag List.” Its Belly Clock logs meals and when pain starts, so you can show a clinician what came before each episode. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. Call emergency services or go to the emergency department for sudden severe belly pain, pain spreading to your back with vomiting, a high temperature or shivering, or yellow skin or eyes. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- NHS, 2026Gallstones (opens in a new tab)abcde
- Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal (abstract via PubMed), 2023The Natural History of Asymptomatic Gallstones: A Longitudinal Study and Prediction Model (opens in a new tab)abcdefghij
- Medical Journal of Malaysia (abstract via PubMed), 2015Natural history of asymptomatic gallstones: differential behaviour in male and female subjects (opens in a new tab)↩
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