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In medicine, gallstones (choleliths) are crystalline bodies formed within the body by accretion or concretion of normal or abnormal bile components.
Gallstones can occur anywhere within the biliary tree, including the gallbladder and the common bile duct. Obstruction of the common bile duct is choledocholithiasis; obstruction of the biliary tree can cause jaundice; obstruction of the outlet of the pancreatic exocrine system can cause pancreatitis. Cholelithiasis is the presence of stones in the gallbladder—chole- means "bile", lithia means "stone", and -sis means "process".
The characteristics of gallstones are various. Independent of appearance, however, gallstones from animals are valuable on the market.
Characteristics
Size
A gallstone's size varies and may be as small as a sand grain or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may develop a single, often large, stone or many smaller ones, even several thousand.
Content
Gallstones have different appearance, depending of their contents. On the basis of their contents, gallstones can be subdivided into the two following types:
Cholesterol stones
Cholesterol stones are usually green, but are sometimes white or yellow in color and account for about 80 percent of gallstones. They are made primarily of cholesterol.
Pigment stones
Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin and calcium salts that are found in bile. They account for the other 20 percent of gallstones. Risk factors for pigment stones include cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, and hereditary blood cell disorders, such as sickle cell anemia. Stones of mixed origin also occur.
Causes
Progress has been made in understanding the process of gallstone formation. Researchers believe that gallstones may be caused by a combination of factors, including inherited body chemistry, body weight, gallbladder motility (movement), and perhaps diet. Additionally, people with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) are at increased risk to develop gallstones.
Cholesterol gallstones develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts. Besides a high concentration of cholesterol, two other factors seem to be important in causing gallstones. The first is how often and how well the gallbladder contracts; incomplete and infrequent emptying of the gallbladder may cause the bile to become overconcentrated and contribute to gallstone formation. The second factor is the presence of proteins in the liver and bile that either promote or inhibit cholesterol crystallization into gallstones.
In addition, increased levels of the hormone oestrogen as a result of pregnancy, hormone therapy, or the use of combined (estrogen-containing) forms of hormonal contraception, may increase cholesterol levels in bile and also decrease gallbladder movement, resulting in gallstone formation.
No clear relationship has been proven between diet and gallstone formation. However, low-fiber, high-cholesterol diets, and diets high in starchy foods have been suggested as contributing to gallstone formation. Other nutritional factors that may increase risk of gallstones include rapid weight loss, constipation, eating fewer meals per day, eating less fish, and low intakes of the nutrients folate, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin C.. On the other hand, wine and whole grain bread may decrease the risk of gallstones.
Symptoms
Gall stones usually remain asymptomatic initially. They start developing symptoms once the stones reach a certain size (>8mm). A main symptom of gallstones is commonly referred to as a gallstone "attack", in which a person will experience intense pain in the upper abdominal region that steadily increases for approximately thirty minutes to several hours. A victim may also encounter pain in the back, ordinarily between the shoulder blades, or pain under the right shoulder. In some cases, the pain develops in the lower region of the stomach, nearer to the pelvis, but this is less common. Nausea and vomiting may occur.
These attacks are intensely painful, similar to that of a kidneystone attack. One way to alleviate the abdominal pain is to drink a full glass of water at the start of an attack to regulate the bile in the gallbladder, but this does not work in all cases.Another way is to take magnesium followed by a bitter liquid such as coffee or swedish bitters an hour later. Bitter flavors stimulate bile flow. A study has found lower rates of gallstones in coffee drinkers.
Often, these attacks occur after a particularly fatty meal and almost always happen at night. Other symptoms include abdominal bloating, intolerance of fatty foods, belching, gas, and indigestion. If the above symptoms coincide with chills, lowgrade fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, and/or clay-colored stool, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
Some people who have gallstones are asymptomatic and do not feel any pain or discomfort. These gallstones are called "silent stones" and do not affect the gallbladder or other internal organs. They do not need treatment.
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If you've seen your doctor, he's probably diagnosed you with Acute Cholecystitis (an inflamed gallbladder, which is caused by gallstones forming inside that may have blocked one of the bile ducts). He's probably told you that the only solution is to have your gallbladder surgically removed. If he's told you that...
Your Doctor's "Solution" Is WRONG!
You Can Keep Your Gallbladder,
And Avoid Costly Surgery And Avoid Future Complications -- Possibly Even Bowel Cancer!
Before you even think about going through with this surgery, you need to know something that your doctor probably won't tell you: gallbladder surgery increases your risk of bowel cancer! Why? Without your gallbladder, bile will drip continuously into your digestive system! This constant dripping also causes diarrhea in some people. Removing the gallbladder may lead to higher blood cholesterol levels, too.
Warning:
Your Doctor Probably Won't Think Twice About "Treating" Your Gallstones With Major Gallbladder Removal Surgery... Without Even Considering a Natural, Safe & Painless Solution!
But don't just take my word for it!
Continue Reading...
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