Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Symptoms Of Gallstones

By Terry Mclean


At approximately 3 inches long and 1,6 inches in diameter and with its main purpose to pump enough bile from the liver to the intestines for proper digestion, the gallbladder doesn't appear to be a central organ one can live without. Every year hundreds of thousands of patients have had gallbladder removal surgery.

But the event isn't without hard consequences as patients become prone to further disorders, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and liver malfunction. Stones forming in the gallbladder, called gallstones, is the cause of these problems.

Gallstones that form with large amounts of cholesterol in your bile are called cholesterol gallstones. The second most common cause of gallstones is the formation of particles from bilirubin, which originates from hemoglobin that is supposed to be replenished by the liver through the bile.

Biliary colic is when there is a gallbladder duct obstruction and fluids gather behind it, causing a swollen bladder. This usually signals the presence of gallstones. The resulting pain can be experienced around the upper stomach and often makes one feel nauseous. The shoulders and upper back may also be in pain and this condition can last a couple minutes or a few hours.

Gallstones create many complications. You could get cholecystitis, which is the inflammation of the gallbladder. Pancreatitis happens when the gallstones block the pancreatic duct and obstruct the pancreatic liquid from flowing through. Gallstones can also cause bilirubin to accumulate in the bile duct and lead to jaundice, where your skin and the whites of your eyes get a yellowish color.

If you have gallstones this can affect your digestion and you may experience symptoms such as excessive belching or flatulence and a burning feeling in your chest or abdomen.

A diet low in fat and carbohydrates and high in fiber are recommended to patients. Always try to stick with fresh and less oily foods because sometimes the symptoms associated with gallbladder stones start at about half hour after ingesting a greasy meal.

To diagnose a patient, an ultrasound or an x-ray is usually prescribed and in severe cases, an operation becomes an option. The condition of gallstones cannot be changed unless you pursue a healthy lifestyle. They usually reoccur in 50% of people that have surgery.

Gall stones can be prevented by following a fat free diet, staying away from processed food which makes the liver work harder, drinking lots of water and regularly exercising.




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