Gall Bladder Stones - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Gal Bladder is a small organ below the liver in the upper right abdomen. It is a pouch that stores bile (a bitter greenish brown alkaline fluid which aids digestion and is secreted by liver and stored in Gall Bladder).
According to Harvard Health publications, 80% of Gall stones are made of Cholesterol and 20% are of Calcium salts and Billrubin. It is not known exactly what causes Gall stones,though there are some theories -
Billrubin is a chemical produced when Liver destroys old blood cells. Some conditions, such as liver damage and certain blood disorders, cause liver to produce more Billrubin than it should. Pigment gallstones form when Gal bladder can't break down the excess billrubin. These hard stones are often Dark brown and black.
Secondly, having too much cholesterol in bile can lead to yellow cholesterol stones. These hard stones may develop if liver makes more cholesterol than bile can dissolve.
Gall Bladder needs to empty its bile to be healthy and to function properly. If it fails to empty its bile content, bile becomes overly concentrated, which causes stones to form.
Gall stones can lead to pain in upper right abdomen. Pain may start from time to time when one eats food that are high in fats such as fried foods. The pain does not usually last more than a few hours.
Gall Stones do not cause pain. Rather, pain occurs when the gall stones block the movement of Bile from the Gall Bladder. 80% of people have "silent" Gall stones. They don't experience any pain. In such cases, Doctor may discover Gall stones from X rays or during abdomen surgery.
When Gall stone blocks the duct where bile moves from the Gal bladder, it can cause inflammation and infection in the Gal bladder. This is known as acute cholecystitis -a medical emergency. Risk of developing this problem from symptomatic Gall stones is 1 to 3% for which Doctor must be consulted.
Many risk factors for Gall stones are related to Diet. While some factors are controllable like Age, Race, Gender and Family history which can't be changed.
The problem is diagnosed by Doctor by physical examination that includes checking of eyes and
skin for visible changes in color. A yellowish tint may be a sign of Jaundice, the result of too many
Billrubin in body. The tests are- Ultrasound, Blood tests, Abdominal CT Scan, Gall Bladder radionuclide scan, ERCP.
In order to reduce the risk of Gall Stones, these tips are quite useful -
1. Reduce intake of Fats and choose less fat foods whenever possible.
2. Add fiber to Diet to prevent gas formation in the body.
3. Eat several small meals per day which are easier for body to digest.
4. Sufficient amount of water be taken- about 6 to 8 glasses a day.
Medication is not commonly used because Laparoscopic and Robotic techniques make surgery much less risky than it used to be. There are medications which may take years to eliminate Gall stones which may form again if treatment is stopped.
- - - - - - - - -
According to Harvard Health publications, 80% of Gall stones are made of Cholesterol and 20% are of Calcium salts and Billrubin. It is not known exactly what causes Gall stones,though there are some theories -
Billrubin is a chemical produced when Liver destroys old blood cells. Some conditions, such as liver damage and certain blood disorders, cause liver to produce more Billrubin than it should. Pigment gallstones form when Gal bladder can't break down the excess billrubin. These hard stones are often Dark brown and black.
Secondly, having too much cholesterol in bile can lead to yellow cholesterol stones. These hard stones may develop if liver makes more cholesterol than bile can dissolve.
Gall Bladder needs to empty its bile to be healthy and to function properly. If it fails to empty its bile content, bile becomes overly concentrated, which causes stones to form.
Gall stones can lead to pain in upper right abdomen. Pain may start from time to time when one eats food that are high in fats such as fried foods. The pain does not usually last more than a few hours.
Gall Stones do not cause pain. Rather, pain occurs when the gall stones block the movement of Bile from the Gall Bladder. 80% of people have "silent" Gall stones. They don't experience any pain. In such cases, Doctor may discover Gall stones from X rays or during abdomen surgery.
When Gall stone blocks the duct where bile moves from the Gal bladder, it can cause inflammation and infection in the Gal bladder. This is known as acute cholecystitis -a medical emergency. Risk of developing this problem from symptomatic Gall stones is 1 to 3% for which Doctor must be consulted.
Many risk factors for Gall stones are related to Diet. While some factors are controllable like Age, Race, Gender and Family history which can't be changed.
The problem is diagnosed by Doctor by physical examination that includes checking of eyes and
skin for visible changes in color. A yellowish tint may be a sign of Jaundice, the result of too many
Billrubin in body. The tests are- Ultrasound, Blood tests, Abdominal CT Scan, Gall Bladder radionuclide scan, ERCP.
In order to reduce the risk of Gall Stones, these tips are quite useful -
1. Reduce intake of Fats and choose less fat foods whenever possible.
2. Add fiber to Diet to prevent gas formation in the body.
3. Eat several small meals per day which are easier for body to digest.
4. Sufficient amount of water be taken- about 6 to 8 glasses a day.
Medication is not commonly used because Laparoscopic and Robotic techniques make surgery much less risky than it used to be. There are medications which may take years to eliminate Gall stones which may form again if treatment is stopped.
- - - - - - - - -
Comments