What are gallstones?

Have you been diagnosed with gallstones? Here is your quick guide to understanding the condition.

Kidney stones and gallstones have become so common these days that almost every second person suffers from the condition. Despite its common appearance, they are no laughing matter. Extremely painful and in some cases dangerous to one's life, gallstones need immediate attention when they cause discomfort. Whether it is due to one's diet or lifestyle is yet to be seen, but avoiding their formation and getting timely treatment is of utmost importance.

Why is the gall bladder important?

The gall bladder is a tiny sac present below the liver. Its main function is to collect and disseminate bile that is produced by the liver. The bile is sent to the small intestine through small ducts called the cystic duct and the common bile duct. The function of the bile is to help in the digestion of food and aid the small intestine absorb fat-soluble vitamins and break down fat. It also helps in the elimination of waste through faeces.

A gallstone is primarily formed from cholesterol a common constituent of bile and other compounds found in bile. There are three types of stones namely cholesterol stones, black pigment stones and brown pigment stones. As the names suggest, they are formed of either cholesterol, decomposed red blood cells or byproducts of infection of the bile.

A stone is formed when the balance of these compounds is not well maintained. They have also been found to form in people trying to lose weight too fast, people who are obese, those who have a history of gallstones in their family (hereditary) and in cases where the gall bladder does not empty completely.(Read: Gallstones causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment)

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of gallstones.

When do the gallstones cause problems?

The stone can be as tiny as a grain of sand and is present in most people. Usually, they do not cause any discomfort, and simply pass through the digestive tract or stay dormant within the gall bladder. It is when these stones grow in size that they cause problems namely the presentation of symptoms like pain in the upper right portion of the stomach, in severe cases this pain may radiate to the upper right portion of the back or just below the right shoulder blade. The pain may be constant or intermittent (may come and go). If the gallstone blocks the common bile duct or the cystic duct, it can cause extremely severe pain along with fever and chills, yellowing of the white parts of the eye and nails (due to the build up of excess bile). In some cases, one might not have any symptoms and experience sudden pain in the chest and back. This is when one must visit a doctor immediately. Here you must remember that if gallstones show no symptoms, it is usually not necessary to have them removed.

How is it diagnosed?

Once you visit your doctor, he/she will first take a detailed history and ask about your symptoms. Obviously if you are in immense pain you will be administered intravenous drugs to ease the discomfort. After the initial history is taken, he/she will advise you to get an ultrasound which is the best way to detect the presence of gallstones. Other methods of diagnosis include a gall bladder scan, which is a test done to detect the presence of any blockages in the tubes of the gall bladder leading to the small intestine or liver.

What are the treatment options?

In the cases of gallstones either blocking the common bile duct or causing too much pain, a doctor may advise you to get your gall bladder removed surgically. Today, there is no need to have an open surgery to remove it. A simple laproscopic procedure is performed to remove the organ. In some cases, if you have had only one attack (pain due to the presence of a gallstone) you might be advised to wait and see if the pain persists or if you have another attack. A second attack usually means that the gall bladder has to be removed.

The complications are many:

If left untreated, gallstones may block the duct leading to the pancreas cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). If the stone blocks the duct of the gall bladder, it can cause cholesystitis, a condition where the gall bladder gets inflamed causing fever and severe pain.

If it blocks the common bile duct it can cause it to get infected and leads to jaundice. Also, people with a history of stones are more prone to suffering from gall bladder cancer.

Image source: myhealth.alberta.ca

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