How to Understand and Treat Gallstones

Gallstones are pebble like substances that develop inside the gallbladder, located in the upper abdomen on the right side just below the liver. The way the gallstones develop is the liquid that is stored in the gallbladder hardens into these tiny rock or stone like substances. The liquid known as bile helps the body digest fats, which is made in the liver and uses the gallbladder as a storage bin until the body requires the bile. The bile is often turned into gallstones when the liquid contains too much bile salts, bilirubin, or cholesterol.

Gallstones are divided into two types – cholesterol stones and pigment stones. The cholesterol stones are normally greenish yellow and are made up of mostly hardened cholesterol whereas the pigment stones are dark in color and are usually seen in individuals that have liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or hereditary blood disorders.

Causes of Gallstones

As stated above the pigment stones are normally seen in individuals that have liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or hereditary blood disorders. In these cases, the liver creates too much bilirubin. With cholesterol stones, it is believed that the bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, not enough bile salts; the gallbladder does not empty completely or does not empty often enough.

Other factors that may contribute to gallstones mainly cholesterol stones include such things as:

1. Sex – about twice as many women develop gallstones over men. The reason is believed to be that excess estrogen is developed during pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, and birth control pills increase cholesterol levels in the bile as well as decreases the movement of the gallbladder.
2. History – It is believed that gallstones run in families, which could be a hereditary link.
3. Weight – in many cases, individuals even just moderately overweight increase their risk of developing gallstones.
4. Diet – those with diets high in fat and cholesterol while low in fiber increase their risk of developing gallstones.
5. Crash Diets or Rapid Weight Loss – during these sessions, the liver secretes too much cholesterol into the bile and the gallbladder does not empty correctly.
6. Age – those over the age of 60 are at risk of developing gallstones.
7. Ethnicity - American Indians are prone to gallstones due to the genetic predisposition to secrete high levels of cholesterol in the bile.
8. Cholesterol-lowering drugs – individuals taking drugs to lower their cholesterol levels are at risk of developing gallstones as the drugs increase the amount of cholesterol that is secreted into the bile.
9. Diabetes – individual with diabetes often have high levels of fatty acids known as triglycerides, which may increase the risk of gallstones.

Symptoms of gallstones

The gallstones begin to move into bile ducts, which causes blockages. These blockages or pressure increases and brings on different symptoms. The symptoms are often referred to as a gallbladder “attack” because they do not gradual occur but come on quickly. The attacks usually occur in the middle of the night or after a fatty meal.

The symptoms associated with gallbladder attacks include:

• Constant pain the right upper abdomen
• The pain increases quickly and will last anywhere from thirty minutes to several hours.
• Pain between the shoulder blades in the back
• Pain under the right shoulder

If you have any of the symptoms listed below, you should visit the emergency room instead of waiting to get an appointment with your doctor.

• Constant pain for over five hours
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Fever
• Chills
• Yellow skin
• The whites of the eyes turn yellow
• Stools that are clay colored

Treatment for Gallstones

In most cases, surgery is often necessary. In most cases, the gallbladder will be removed. This is one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States.

For those cannot receive surgery due to another disease and has been diagnosed with cholesterol stones another treatment may be used which is oral dissolution therapy. With this therapy, a drug will be given to dissolve the gallstones. This treatment may take several months or even years to dissolve the stones and the drugs have side effects including raising the levels of blood cholesterol and the liver enzyme, and mild diarrhea.