subject: Symptoms and Home Remedies for Gallstones [print this page] Symptoms and Home Remedies for Gallstones
A very common yet curable condition is "gallstones" - something that can occur when bile contains too much cholesterol. The good news is, gallstones are easy to spot, and simple to treat. However, it's important to be aware of the various symptoms for gallstones, as gallstones can turn into a serious problem if gone untreated.
To understand how to treat gallstones, it helps to know what the condition consists of, and to understand the basic function of your gall bladder. Your gall bladder - a small, muscular sac situated underneath your liver - holds stored bile produced by your liver, and releases this bile into the small intestine as we eat. Bile aids in digestion - primarily of fats - within the small intestine.
The gallbladder is a little pear-shaped pouch tucked behind the lobes of the liver. Its main job is to store up the cholesterol-rich bile that's secreted by the liver. Bile helps your body digest fatty foods. So when that piece of prime rib reaches the intestines, they send a message up to the gallbladder to send some bile their way. Once the bile saturates your steak, it becomes more digestible and easily makes its way through the rest of the digestive process.
At least that's the way things should work. But the reality is that many people, especially older people and women, will have some gallbladder trouble. Ninety percent of the time that trouble is in the form of gallstones. Gallstones form when the bile contains excessive amounts of cholesterol. When there isn't enough bile to saturate the cholesterol, the cholesterol begins to crystallize, and you get a gallstone. These tough bits can be as tiny as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. You may not even know you have gallstones unless you happen to have an ultrasound or X ray of your tummy. But the 20 percent of the time that gallstones do cause problems, it's excruciatingly painful.
Symptoms of GallStones:
Symptoms of gallstones can also vary significantly, as gallstones can occur in different sizes. They can be as small as a grain of sand, or larger - similar to the size of a pea. Serious gallstones can even be as large as to fill the gall bladder. Symptoms such as pain are largely dependant on the size of a gallstone, and many people who experience small gallstones might not even be aware that they have the condition.
If spotted promptly, gallstones are simple to treat. However, if left untreated, gallstones can lead to infection. Once the gallbladder is inflamed and begins to get infected, symptoms develop exceptionally fast, and can result in severe pain. A doctor will usually run a blood test and ultrasound scan in order to diagnose gallstones - sometimes even requiring an endoscopy. Once gallstones are detected, they're often removed via a keyhole surgical procedure called cholecystectomy. However, for more serious gallstones, the gallbladder often has to be fully removed through a larger cut in the abdomen. For less serious gallstones, medication will often be prescribed to encourage dissolving of the gallstone.
Many people want to know if gallstones can be prevented - and the answer is yes. Diet has a lot to do with the formation of gallstones - so keeping to a high-fiiber, low fat diet can significantly help in the prevention of gallstones in the gallbladder. Being overweight also increases one's chances of developing gallstones, as there is usually more cholesterol in the bile. So, trying to maintain a healthy weight is also crucial to preventing gallstones.
Ultimately, gallstones are easy to spot and diagnose, simple to treat, and fairly easy to prevent - but it's vital that symptoms do not go ignored. It's always crucial to speak with your doctor if you experience pain or suspect you might have gallstones, in order to prompt appropriate treatment.
Home Remedy for Gallstones:
A Flush: The first step might be the most difficult because it takes 1-2 days! You should start your treatment with a gallbladder, liver and colon flush. The flush will allow impurities, toxins, pollutants, cholesterol and 'bad' fats to pass from your body. The all-natural cleanse will rejuvenate your body to pass most of its impurities and should be done annually for gallstone prevention. Check out a Gallstones Remedy Report for the simplest and most effective flush.
Find powerful herbal remedies Herbal Treatment for Renal Stones
Optimal Health: Research shows that drinking enough water is probably the healthiest thing you can do for your body. Your body is 75% water and dropping a couple percent can equate to gallstones. A good rule of thumb we tell our customers is to drink half their body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 180 lbs. then you should drink 90 ounces of water or 11 cups of water.
Cholesterol: Prevention is the best medicine. With that said, you should avoid high fat and cholesterol foods because they cause cholesterol-based gallstones. We recommend eliminating it for one-month and gradually reintroducing them to your diet.
Fruits and Veggies: High water-soluble fiber foods are probably one of the best gallstone prevention tips. Fruits and vegetables have high water-soluble fiber content which will flush cholesterol which could cause stones. Go with about 7-8 servings of fruits and veggies per day.
Vitamins: One of the best vitamins you can be supplementing is vitamin C. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has been known to be effective to convert cholesterol to bile acids. With less cholesterol and more acids in your body, you can decrease the risk of gallstones. It will also boost your immune system.
