What is choledocholithiasis vs. biliary colic?
If you have choledocholithiasis, you have at least one gallstone in your common bile duct. If it’s very small, it may not cause you any problems and may even pass into your intestines. But if it becomes large enough or blocks your common bile duct, it’ll cause symptoms of severe constant pain and jaundice.
Biliary colic is intermittent pain from gallstones that obstruct your biliary system intermittently (off and on). This is more common with gallbladder stones, but can happen with choledocholithiasis if a gallstone obstructs your common bile duct off and on — for example, if it moves in and out of your duct.