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What is gallstones?
Remedies to prevent gallstones from causing complications If you have gallstones that aren't causing signs or symptoms, you may worry that you'll experience pain or other symptoms of gallstones in the future. For this reason, some people turn to complementary and alternative medicine for gallstone cures.
Read more on www.mayoclinic.com
Also known as cholelithiasis, Gall Stones, gallbladder attack, Gall Stone, gallbladder diseases, biliary colic, gallstone attack, stones, gall, Biliary Calculi, biliary calculus, Common Bile Duct Calculi, bile calculus, Common Bile Duct Gallstones, Common Bile Duct Gall Stones, Common Bile Duct Biliary Calculi
gallstones information from trusted sources:
Cholelithiasis
Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine. Your gallbladder is most likely to give you trouble if something blocks the flow of bile through the bile ducts. That is usually a gallstone. Gallstones form when substances in bile harden. Gallstone attacks usually happen after you eat. Signs of a gallstone attack may include nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just under the right arm. Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Gallstones
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid called bile that's released into your small intestine. Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Stones, Gall
Gallstones (commonly misspelled gall stones) are solid particles that form from bile in the gallbladder. Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
Gallstones
The gallbladder is a small sac on the underside of the liver. Bile (also called gall) is a greenish-brown liquid produced by the liver. It's stored and concentrated in the gallbladder and passed into the small intestine (through the bile ducts) to help with digestion, mainly of fats. Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Gallstones
Gallstones are solid crystals that form in the gallbladder or nearby bile ducts. Most gallstones form in the gallbladder, a small pear-shaped organ located in the upper right side of the abdomen, underneath the liver. The gallbladder stores bile, a digestive fluid that makes cholesterol, fats, and some vitamins more easily absorbed by the body. Read more on
www.pdrhealth.com
Gallstones
Provides general information about gallstones, including causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment. Read more on
digestive.niddk.nih.gov
Gallstone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A gallstone is a crystalline concretion formed within the gallbladder by accretion of bile components. These calculi are formed in the gallbladder, ... Read more on
en.wikipedia.org
Gallbladder Gallstones - Diet, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and ...
Mar 13, 2011 ... Gallstones (often misspelled gall stones, or gall stone) are stones that form in the gall (bile). (The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ ... Read more on
www.medicinenet.com
Gallstones-Topic Overview
Jul 22, 2009 ... Get information on gallbladder problems and learn how to treat the symptoms of gallstones and a gallbladder attack. Read more on
www.webmd.com
Gallstones -- familydoctor.org
If you have gallstones but no pain, chances are good that the stones won't be a problem for you. Your doctor might suggest you leave them alone. ... Read more on
familydoctor.org
Contents
Causes
It is not fully understood why some people get gallstones and others do not, but they tend to be more common in the following groups of people...
Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Complications
Complications of gallstones may include: Inflammation of the gallbladder. A gallstone that becomes lodged in the neck of the gallbladder can cause inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis). Cholecystitis can cause severe pain and fever.; Blockage of the common bile duct. Gallstones can block the tubes (ducts) through which bile flows from your gallbladder or liver to your small intestine. Jaundice and bile duct infection (cholangitis) can result.; Blockage of the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct is a tube that runs from the pancreas to the common bile duct. Pancreatic juices, which aid in digestion, flow through the pancreatic duct. A gallstone can cause a blockage in the pancreatic...
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www.mayoclinic.com
Diagnosis
Gallstones are often discovered by chance during investigations of unrelated conditions. They are commonly detected following blood tests, cholesterol tests or ultrasound scans. Occasionally, gallstones are detected following X-rays.
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www.nhs.uk
Exams and Tests
Tests used to detect gallstones or gallbladder inflammation include: Abdominal ultrasound ; Abdominal CT scan ; Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); Gallbladder radionuclide scan ; Endoscopic ultrasound; Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP); Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTCA); Bilirubin ; Liver function tests ; Pancreatic enzymes
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www.nlm.nih.gov
Medical advice
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have:Pain in the right upper part of your abdomen; Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes
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www.nlm.nih.gov
Outlook (Prognosis)
Gallstones develop in many people without causing symptoms. The chance of symptoms or complications from gallstones is low. Nearly all patients who have gallbladder surgery do not have their symptoms return (if the symptoms were actually caused by gallstones).
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www.nlm.nih.gov
Possible Complications
Blockage of the cystic duct or common bile duct by gallstones may cause the following problems: Acute cholecystitis ; Cholangitis ; Cholecystitis - chronic ; Choledocholithiasis ; Pancreatitis
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www.nlm.nih.gov
Preparing for your appointment
You're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects you may have gallstones, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the digestive system (gastroenterologist) or to a surgeon.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Prevention
You can reduce your risk of gallstones if you: Don't skip meals. Try to stick to your usual meal times each day. Skipping meals or fasting can increase the risk of gallstones.; Exercise most days of the week. Being inactive may increase the risk of gallstones, so incorporate physical activity into your day. If you haven't been active lately, start slowly and work your way up to 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week.; Lose weight slowly. If you need to lose weight, go slow. Rapid weight loss can increase the risk of gallstones. Aim to lose 1 or 2 pounds (0.5 to about 1 kg) a week.; Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity and overweight increase the risk of gallstones. Work to achieve...
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www.mayoclinic.com
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of gallstones include: Being female; Being age 60 or older; Being an American Indian; Being a Mexican-American; Being overweight or obese; Being pregnant; Eating a high-fat diet; Eating a high-cholesterol diet; Eating a low-fiber diet; Having a family history of gallstones; Having diabetes; Losing weight very quickly; Taking cholesterol-lowering medications; Taking medications that contain estrogen, such as hormone therapy drugs
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www.mayoclinic.com
Symptoms
Fewer than one in five people with gallstones have symptoms, because the stones usually stay in the gallbladder and cause no problems.
Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Treatments and drugs
Gallstones that don't cause signs and symptoms Gallstones that don't cause signs and symptoms, such as those detected during an ultrasound or CT scan done for some other condition, typically don't require treatment.
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www.mayoclinic.com