Why gallstones appear and how to get rid of them

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

They have about one in seven. But often people do not realize this until one day it becomes excruciatingly painful.

What are gallstones

The gallbladder is a small organ in the upper right side of your abdomen, just below your liver. In fact, it is a "bag" for storing bile - a very important liquid for digestion. It is produced by the liver, then bile enters the small intestine. But on the way he spends some time in the gallbladder. Where sometimes it stagnates and hardens, forming the most natural stones.

According to the Definition & Facts for Gallstones, 10-15% of people have gallstones.

The size of these hardened bile deposits can be very different. Some stones are as small as grains of sand. Others reach the size of a golf ball. Someone develops only one gallstone. Someone has a scattering of them.

But most of the Gallstones in Women stones have one thing in common: they do not manifest themselves in any way. Until one of them begins to block the duct through which bile moves from the bladder to the intestines. And here unpleasant symptoms already arise.

How to recognize gallstones

It is possible to assume the presence of gallstone disease by the following signs of Gallstones:

• Dull, sore pain in the right upper abdomen that lasts from a couple of minutes to several hours. Typically, it occurs after eating - especially when you have eaten something fatty or fried.
• Regular and seemingly unmotivated bouts of nausea. Up to vomiting.
• Digestive problems. These include bloating, heartburn, belching, and diarrhea.

If you have similar symptoms and you do not understand what they are associated with, sign up for a consultation with a therapist or immediately to a gastroenterologist. The doctor will conduct a physical examination, ask you about your well-being and send you for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. It is this procedure that most often helps to detect gallstones and make a diagnosis.

When to call an ambulance

Seek emergency help immediately if Gallstones: Symptoms and Causes:

• the pain in the abdomen is so piercing and severe that you cannot find a comfortable position to endure;
• along with pain, jaundice is observed - yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes;
• abdominal pain is accompanied by fever and chills.

Why are gallstones dangerous?

A blocked bile duct is fraught with a number of extremely unpleasant and even deadly consequences. These include the following:

• Inflammation of the gallbladder - acute cholecystitis. This condition is accompanied by severe pain, fever, and requires emergency medical attention.
• Blockage of the bile ducts. This can lead to their infection (cholangitis).
• Blockage of the pancreatic duct. And, as a consequence, inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis.
• Gallbladder cancer. People who have already been diagnosed with stones have an increased risk of this type of cancer.
• Blood poisoning. It can follow any of the above infectious processes.

How to treat if there are stones in the gallbladder

Modern medicine believes Gallstones: Diagnosis and Treatment that if gallstones are asymptomatic, they do not need treatment. However, it is important to observe the behavior of the stones.

If symptoms - the same pain in the right upper abdomen - appear or worsen, they should be reported to the gastroenterologist. The doctor will prescribe an additional examination and, depending on the results, will recommend treatment.

There are only two options.

1. Taking medications that dissolve stones

Here it must be borne in mind that dissolution can take months or even years. During this time, the risk of blockage of the bile ducts will be increased. In addition, there are a couple of nuances.

First, as soon as you stop drinking the prescribed drug, stones may form again. Second, sometimes drugs don't work.

With all this in mind, agents for dissolving gallstones are rarely prescribed. These drugs are intended for people who, for one reason or another, are contraindicated in surgery to remove an organ.

2. Cholecystectomy

This is the name of the operation, during which the gallbladder is completely removed. This is the most common stone fighting method.

You shouldn't be afraid of surgery. The gallbladder is not a vital organ. When it disappears, bile begins to flow directly from the liver into the intestines, without lingering anymore in any additional "sacs". The operation will not affect the digestive process in the future.

Where do gallstones come from?

Doctors have not yet established the exact reasons. But Gallstones: Symptoms and Causes suggest that stones appear in the following cases.

• Bile contains too much cholesterol. It usually contains chemicals that dissolve cholesterol from the liver. But sometimes these substances are not enough. In this case, excess cholesterol can turn into crystals and become the basis for the formation of stones.
• Bile contains a lot of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a chemical that is produced when red blood cells are destroyed in the body. In some health conditions, too much bilirubin is excreted from the liver. These include, for example, cirrhosis of the liver, infections of the biliary tract, and some blood diseases. Excess bilirubin promotes stone formation.
• The gallbladder does not empty properly for some reason. Bile stagnates in it and can become too concentrated, leading to the formation of hard deposits.

In addition to these reasons, doctors also identify risk factors. Here are the ones who are more susceptible to the formation of stones:

• women;
• people aged 40 and over;
• those who are overweight or obese;
• people leading a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle;
• pregnant women;
• those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, liver disease, or certain blood diseases - leukemia or sickle cell disease;
• people with close relatives with gallstones (heredity factor);
• those who lost weight very quickly;
• those taking estrogen-containing medications, such as oral contraceptives or hormone therapy medications;
• people who lean on fatty foods and at the same time consume little fiber.

How to prevent gallstones

Unfortunately, it is impossible to protect yourself from the formation of stones 100%. But you can reduce the risks. To do this, it is enough to slightly change the way of life.

1. Do not skip meals

Regular food helps to keep the bile outflow evenly.

2. If you want to lose weight, do it wisely

The rate of really correct weight loss is no more than 0.5-1 kg per week.

3. Eat More High Fiber Foods

You should definitely have hard fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread on your table.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

Maintain it by eating a healthy diet and exercising.

5. Move

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the most serious risk factors. Therefore, whenever possible, try to warm up, go for a walk or go to the gym.