subject: Gallbladder Health and the Threat of Gallstones [print this page] Gallbladder Health and the Threat of Gallstones
Most of us know what gallstones are, and we may have even seen gallstones that have been removed from a friend or relative's gallbladder (some people like to keep them in a jar as souvenirs). But most people don't know why gallstones form, or why they are a threat to overall gallbladder health.
Gallstones can be a symptom that you have other serious health conditions.
Gallstones can be nature's way of telling you that you've been good to your taste buds but not to your body as a whole. You've been eating too many fatty, cholesterol-rich foods. Doing this over an extended period of time can threaten a lot more than your gallbladder. It can have life-threatening consequences for other parts - especially your heart - and your circulatory system.
When you have gallstones, you also frequently have high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure (hypertension). Both conditions - as you're probably well aware - can shorten your life because they're risk factors for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and many other health threats.
What Are Gallstones?
Gallstones got their name because they actually have the appearance of pieces of gravel. Some are so small it takes a magnifying glass or a microscope to see them. Others are two inches in diameter - approximately the size of a golf ball. Some people have a single gallstone - small or large. Other individuals have many in combinations, and they can vary tremendously in size.
There Are Different Types of Gallstones
The most common type of gallstone is an accumulation of hardened cholesterol.When you have too much cholesterol in your diet, your gallbladder can't handle it all. Some of it basically "dries up" into stone-like formations. Usually, they're white, greenish white, or yellow in color.
The other common type of gallstone is known as a pigment stone. These are made up of red blood cells that have been broken down. They are not as common as cholesterol stones.
It is possible to have both types of stones at the same time, and a lot of people do.
Why Does Someone Get Gallstones?
As mentioned above, when your diet contains an excessive amount of cholesterol, stones are more likely to form.
You can also get gallstones because bile becomes stuck in the gallbladder and causes stones to form.
The tendency to form gallstones may also be inherited.
Obesity is also a factor. People who are extremely overweight are more prone to get gallstones than others who are trim.
What Are the Symptoms of Gallstones?
It's not unusual for an individual to develop gallstones and be completely unaware of it. When this situation occurs the stones are frequently described as silent stones. In most cases, they are only discovered when another underlying issue is being investigated.
Symptoms do present themselves sometimes, however.
Someone with gallstones will probably experience pain under the ribs, pain in the upper middle back just under the neck, or pain in the area of the right shoulder. The intensity and duration of this pain can vary as well.
If you have gallstones, you'll notice that the color of your stool will change during bowel movements. Stool will look slate colored or clay-colored.
Flu like symptoms are also typical.
One of the classic signs is feeling ill after eating a big, fatty meal. Symptoms are similar to those of food poisoning. This is because of the fact that the gallbladder is being overwhelmed with fat and cholesterol and cannot process it all quickly enough.
Ways to Treat Gallstones
Those who have reason to believe they have gallstones need to seek the advice of a doctor. This is particularly important if they're experiencing a lot of pain or discomfort.
Remember, you can live without your gallbladder. The liver takes over the duties performed by the gallbladder when it has been removed. Gallbladder removal surgery can be a better option to living your life in pain because you are troubled by gallstones.
