Generally the gallbladder doesn't cause too many problems
or give us much concern. But it can be a scary experience if you pass a larger
gallstone. The pain may be intense enough to make a person faint. Passing a
gallstone typically occurs within an hour of eating a meal.
A large gallstone that blocks a duct in your
digestive track is experienced as a sudden, increasing pain in your right upper
abdomen. Pain may be felt in the center of the abdomen, or as traveling into
the back under the shoulder blades and into the right shoulder. The pain can
last from a few minutes to a few hours. In extreme cases, you may experience a
yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, as well as a high fever.
Most gallstones are
extremely tiny, and are passed from the body without notice. They are
pebble-like deposits of bile, or cholesterol, which formed in the gallbladder
as part of the digestion process. However, if you develop a really large
gallstone, which causes extreme pain as it passes through the body, you need to
seek medical help immediately.
If the gallstone is blocking a bile duct, the size of
the stone will dictate if surgery is needed to remove it from your body.
Another option a physician may use is to dissolve the gallstone with oral
medication.
There are several gallbladder conditions that have
similar symptoms. The different types of gallbladder problems have common
symptoms and start with pain in the upper abdominal area, either in the upper
right or middle.
Common
symptoms of Gallbladder Conditions:
Severe abdominal pain
Pain that may extend beneath the right shoulder blade or
to the back
Pain that worsens after eating a meal, particularly fatty
or greasy foods
Pain that feels dull, sharp, or crampy
Pain that increases when you breathe in deeply
Chest pain
Heartburn, indigestion, and excessive gas
A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
Vomiting, nausea, fever
Shaking with chills
Tenderness in the abdomen, particularly the right upper
quadrant
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Stools of an unusual color (often lighter, like clay)
A medical diagnosis by a physician will identify whether
you have a temporary case of gallstones, or if you have developed gallbladder
disease. The correct diagnosis gives you the information needed to decide
between alternative treatments or allopathic treatments.
Gallstones
(cholelithiasis). This condition occurs
when small stones, or sometimes larger ones, develop inside the gallbladder and
cause pain known as biliary colic. However, 90 percent of people with gallstones
will have no symptoms.
Biliary colic is a severe episodes of pain caused by gallstone
blockage of the cystic duct. The gallbladder contracts against the blockage,
causing spasmodic (or sometimes constant) severe pain. Biliary colic usually
last only an hour or two and may infrequently or years apart.
Inflamed
gallbladder (cholecystitis) is caused by
gallstones, excessive alcohol use, infections, or even tumors that cause bile
buildup. However, the most common cause of is gallstones. Gallstone irritation
may cause the gallbladder walls to become swollen and painful. Inflammation
episode may last for several hours, or even a few days. The sluggish, inflamed
gallbladder may be invaded by intestinal bacteria, and becomes infected. When a
gallbladder actually ruptures, this is a surgical emergency. Cholecystitis
always requires medical attention, particularly if fever is present.
Dysfunctional
gallbladder or chronic gallbladder disease.
The gallbladder becomes rigid and scarred repeated episodes of inflammation and
gallstones. Symptoms are constant and include abdominal fullness, indigestion,
increased gas, and chronic diarrhea after meals throughout the day.
Lifestyle, Diet and
Home Remedies
- Eliminate
fatty and greasy foods in your diet---foods high in cholesterol can result
in the accumulation cholesterol in your bile that could result in more
gallstones.
- Avoid
fatty beef or pork--- stick to lean meats and consume plenty of fish,
turkey and poultry.
- Avoid peppers
and chili peppers -- spicy foods can lead to increased gallbladder attacks
and intense pain.
- Avoid condiments
such as mayonnaise and using excessive.
- Avoid
junk foods (chips, cookies and cakes) and high-fat diary products, such as
ice cream.
- Increase
Vitamin C intake---helps in breaking down cholesterol accumulation in your
body, which breaks down stones to allow them to easily pass through your
stool.
- Increase
water intake per day will help in passing gallstones--try to drink at
least one glass of water every hour.
- Eat
foods rich in fiber---which helps regulates bowel movement.
- One
should eat a healthy diet, lose weight slowly (not abruptly), and maintain
the healthy weight.
- Application
of hot pack (caster oil pack) in the upper abdominal area can relieve the
pain.
- Administer
a warm water enema to eliminate fecal accumulations for those constipated
patients.
- Doing
physical exercises are needed to facilitate peristalsis.
Inflamed Gallbladder Diet
- Drink
beet, carrot, lemon, grape, grapefruit, and pear juices.
- Eat
moderate amounts of cooked vegetables and add more slightly raw cooked
veggies.
- Avoid
eating the following: fats, eggs, meat, spices, pickles, coffee, sugary
products, and fried, greasy, processed foods.
- Eat
frequent small meals rather than having 3 larger meals a day.
Consult your physician for an accurate diagnosis and
treatment recommendations before beginning an herbal regimen. Certain herbs may
help gallbladder disease, gallstones or other stressors on your gallbladder.
Some herbs also improve liver function.
Herbs used for gallbladder conditions:
Milk Thistle
According to the University of Michigan Health
System, milk thistle in capsule or tablet form may help to prevent gallstones.
A study found that taking 420 mg of the silymarin contained in milk thistle
helps decrease the cholesterol levels in bile, which helps prevent gallstones
from forming. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking 80 mg
to 160 mg of standardized milk thistle seed extract two to three times daily
for liver and gallbladder support
Coffee
Coffee helps prevent gallbladder disease. Two large
studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, June
1999, showed men who consumed the most caffeinated coffee (more than four cups
per day) had the lowest risk of gallbladder disease. In a separate study
published in December 2002 in Gastroenterology, researchers found caffeinated
coffee protects against gallbladder disease.
Peppermint
According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, peppermint oil may help to dissolve gallstones. Preliminary studies
have found that taking peppermint or other essential plant oils helps dissolve
gallstones over the course of several months
Artichoke
The University of Maryland Medical Center has found
taking an extract from the globe artichoke leaves may support the gallbladder
and liver. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reports the artichoke
leaf may help gallbladder contraction, which pushes out the gallstones. Take
250 mg to 500 mg two to three times per day of standardized globe artichoke
extract to support gallbladder function,
Turmeric
Turmeric is also used in Germany for gallbladder pain
according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. According to the
University of Maryland Medical Center take 300 mg three times daily of
standardized turmeric extract to support your liver and gallbladder.
Dandelion
The University of Michigan Health System says
dandelion helps to treat gallstone related gallbladder pain. Dandelion root
contains bitter compounds that stimulate bile production in the gallbladder and
helps the body in processing fats.
Warning: certain herbs that help expel gallstones
may be risky because the gallstones could lodge in the bile ducts and rupture.
http://www.gallbladderpainsymptoms.org/passing-gallstones-symptoms.html
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