What is Gall Bladder Stone?
Cholecystitis/Gallstones & liver disease: gallbladder is a little sac attached to the liver in which bile is stored and concentrated.No symptoms are usually seen(silent stones) but sometimes a sudden attack of pain or nausea may start.
What is gallbladder pain?
The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver that the body uses to digest fats in a person’s diet.
A diet that contains fat requires the gallbladder to release bile to help in digestion.
However,bile composition(cholesterol and bilirubin)can build up and become gallbladder sludge. This lead to the formation of small “stones” called gallstones(cholecystitis).
Gallstones can block the release of bile from the gallbladder.Biliary colic due to contraction of gallbladder against a stone impacted at the neck of gallbladder gives rise to inflammation,pain and infection.
This condition is called cholecystitis.
Cholecystitis pain characteristics:
The upper abdomen and on the right side
Radiating to the shoulder blade
Attack comes after meals
Aggravates on a deep breath
Sudden and intense pain
A cramping, dull, or constant pain that can last for 1-4 hours
Causes of Cholecystitis & liver disease:
More common in people over 50,but even children can have it caused by dietary factors, gallstones are associated with the following:
-Family history of gallstones
-Previous gallbladder surgery
-Type 2 diabetes mellitus that affect the pancreas.
factors that contribute to the formation of gallstones include:
-Lack of physical activity or obesity.
-Certain medications, such as corticosteroids and antihistamines. -Some medical conditions like cirrhosis. -A diet high in cholesterol.
cholecystitis is more common among:
Obesity
Pregnancy
Gallbladder stasis
Drugs
Heredity
Symptoms of Cholecystitis & liver disease
Pain in the upper abdomen or back radiating to the shoulder blades
A sudden feeling of fullness after eating little
Difficult swallowing
Right abdomen pain with nausea,vomitting but no fever
Upper abdominal tenderness
Right shoulder blade pain
Types of Gallstones:
Cholesterol gallstones. Are water soluble and help in suspension in bile in the form of micelles.An increase or decrease in bile salt pools may precipitate cholesterol.
Pigment gallstones.Are usually found in association with haemolysis,low protein diet or biliary bacterial infections.
Diagnosis of Gall Stones
The common diagnosis for gallstones is by blood tests, X-ray images of the gall bladder or ultrasound scans.
What Happens If Gallstones Are Left Untreated?
Gallstones may cause complications
If gallstones remain silent in the gallbladder, they are not a problem.Pain or blockage of the flow of bile surgery may be required.
Causes of Gall bladder stones:
Diabetes.
Obesity
Life-Threatening Complications of gallstones & liver disease
Treatment is targeted to prevent infection and inflammation.If you have painful attacks few months before delivery,medications to dissolve stones is advised.
Pregnancy and Gallstones
Any pregnant woman can have a gallbladder attack during pregnancy or after delivery because of the increase in cholesterol content in her bile.There is weight loss, stress or dietary change.
Prevention of Gallstone Formation
Avoid foods that trigger pain symptoms and inflammation. Eat regularly (such as three meals daily) and avoid overeating. Eat and chew food well.
The following dietary changes also can affect the formation of gallstones &liver disease:
Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; avoid sugar;avoid fats and fatty dairy products and alcohol.
Drink lots of water.
Have enough magnesium, potassium, calcium, and other electrolytes. Lose weight by exercise daily for 30 mins.
Conventional Treatment of Gall Bladder Stone:
Blood tests,x-rays and ultrasoud
Using keyhole surgery and laparoscopy (keyhole surgery), this uses a camera inserted through a little incision near your navel or a long thin tube passed into the abdomen.
After surgery most people can be discharged from the hospital in a day.
Cholecystectomy for some elderly and unfit patients with perforation of gallbladder or empyema.
Homoeopathy Treatment of Gallstones:
Homeopathy offers treatment that is safe, gentle and without any side effects,will prevent the patient from undergoing a surgical procedure and further recurrences of gall stones.
Homeopathy Medicines of Gallstones & liver disease
Chelidonium
Lyco
Cardus Marinus
Phosphorus
Calcarea
Arsenic
Carbo veg etc.
Can diet prevent gallstones & liver disease?
A diet with more fruits and vegetables and natural produce will have less chances of having gallstones. Fibrous leafy vegetables and citrus fruits help in prevention of gallstones.
CASE STUDY OF GALLSTONES
A young lady of 35 years age,a homemaker came to me with pain in epigastric region occassionally radiating to right shoulder and vomitting.
she had already done a USG abdomen and found out to be gallbladder stones.
she was a mild lady and hardly spoke anything in the consultation.Her look was sad and timid.On enquiring about her family status,husband was working in another country and she was missing him very much.
she felt lonely and not cared for by her husband.While narrating her complaints her tone was sad and most of the times she looked down.She was very hesitant to divulge more details about her family life.Based on the above description a totality was erected.
RUBRICS SELECTED:
Mind;Timidity
Mind;searching floor on
Mind;mildness
REMEDY SELECTED:
IGNATIA 200 STAT DOSE,followed by 1m and 10m potencies in succession.
Her pain and vomitting episodes reduced significantly and in a span of 3 months she was completely well.