Gall Bladder Stones

by Vibudhah October 02, 2011 0 comments E-Paper health Prakritik Chikitsa tips Yoga

Gall Bladder Stones, also known as Gallstones, are a few small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder of a person. The Gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ of the body, located below the liver and is attached to the under-surface of the liver on its right side. It stores the bile secreted by the liver. Bile is a waste product that contains water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. The gall bladder stones usually form when the bile stored in the Gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. Bile hardens mainly when it contains too much cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin. The gallstones are actually an inflammatory condition and are also known as cholecystitis. Though most gall bladder stones develop due to an accumulation of cholesterol, some of them may contain calcium salts and bile pigments. The women are more affected by this disease in comparison to men.

Gall bladder stones are of two types like cholesterol stones and pigment stones. The cholesterol stones are usually of yellow-green colour and are made primarily of hardened cholesterol. This type of gall bladder stones account for about 80 percent of all gallstones. On the other hand, the pigment stones are actually small, dark stones made of bilirubin. The size of gallstones may range from that of a grain of sand or to that of a golf ball. One large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or a combination of the two, can be developed in the gall bladder.

There are many causes behind the formation of gall bladder stones. The main cause of gall bladder stones is disturbances in the composition of the bile. A change in the ratio of cholesterol and bile salts may result in the formation of deposits. The deposits may be in the form of fine gravel in the initial period. They constitute the nucleus for further deposits and eventually lead to the formation of larger stones. An irritation of the lining of the gall bladder, caused by inflammation is also considered as a cause of gall bladder stones. Having excessive cholesterol or calcium in the diet can cause gallstones, and the way body processes these substances also plays an important role in the formation of gallstones. Some people may also inherit narrow bile ducts that later increases their chances of developing gallstones. Obesity is considered one of the major causes of gall bladder stones, as well.

There are several symptoms of gall bladder stones that can help in identifying them at an early stage. The most common symptoms of gall bladder stones include heart attacks, ulcers, appendicitis, pancreatitis, hiatal hernia, hepatitis, etc. The symptoms of blocked bile ducts are often called as gallbladder "attack", as they occur suddenly. A typical gall bladder attack may cause various difficulties like, steady pain in the right upper abdomen that increases rapidly and lasts from 30 minutes to several hours; pain in the back between the shoulder blades; pain under the right shoulder; etc. All these difficulties are also considered as symptoms of gall bladder stones.

The other common symptoms of gall bladder stones include nausea and vomiting; fever of low-grade or chills; yellowish colour of the skin or whites of the eyes; clay-coloured stools; etc. Symptoms like indigestion, gas, constipation, disturbed vision, intolerance to fats, dizziness, jaundice, anaemia, acne, etc. are also considered as common symptoms of gall bladder stones. However, some people with gall bladder stones may not show any of the symptoms and these gallstones are termed as "silent stones". These stones do not interfere with gallbladder, liver, or pancreas function and do not need treatment, as well.

The diagnosis of gall bladder stones is done in different ways. Most of the times, diagnosis is done based on a person`s symptoms. A simple physical examination like gently pressing just below the ribs on the right side of the chest with fingers may help in diagnosing gall bladder stones. Sometimes, blood tests or a simple x-ray can show signs of obstructed ducts. Apart from these, there are two tests that are used most commonly for diagnosis of gall bladder stones. These tests are named as abdominal ultrasound and the oral cholecystogram (OCG) or cholescintigraphy and both the tests can detect gallstones with great accuracy.

Apart from the conventional treatment procedures, many alternative medications are often used for the treatment of gall bladder stones. The alternative treatment methods like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy or nature care, water treatments, Yogic Asanas, dietary restrictions, Magnetic Therapy, etc. are used quite extensively for treatment of gall bladder stones. The Oral bile acid dissolution therapy; contact solvent dissolution; mechanical extraction through a catheter placed into the gallbladder either through the skin or through and endoscope; fragmentation through shock-wave lithotripsy combined with bile acid dissolution; etc. are also used as alternative medications for treatment of gall bladder stones.

The gall bladder stones are considered as one of the most common types of diseases at present. Several people get affected by this disease every year. Though, the diagnosis and treatment of the gall bladder stones is quite easy to be done, delay in detection of the disease may cause greater harms to the affected person.


Causes of Gall Bladder Stones
Gall bladder stones are a common disease, caused mainly due to dysfunction in functions of gall bladder. Several causes have been identified behind the formation of gall bladder stones or gall stones, so far. The causes of gall bladder stones help a lot in choosing the proper treatment method for a particular type of gallstone. Digestive disturbances due to a regular excessive intake of fats and carbohydrates in the diet, is the main cause of gall bladder stones. Disturbances of the liver and the gallbladder are also considered as the main causes of the gallbladder disorders. The other causes of gall bladder stones include poor health, hereditary factors, stress, spinal displacements, bad posture, muscular tension, etc.

The two major types of gall bladder stones found are the cholesterol stones and the pigment stones. The cholesterol stones form when bile contains too much amount of cholesterol, bilirubin, or do not contain enough bile salts. The cholesterol stones may also form when the gallbladder does not empty completely. However, the main reason behind such imbalances is not known. The cause behind formation of pigment stones is also not known completely. The pigment stones usually tend to develop in people having liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or hereditary blood disorders like sickle cell anemia, where the liver makes too much bilirubin.

Sometimes, having gallstones may become a cause behind formations of gall bladder stones. The other factors that are considered as possible causes of gall bladder stones include gender, age, weight, diet, rapid weight loss, family history, cholesterol-lowering dugs, diabetes, etc. Gender is a major factor behind the formation of gallstones, as it has been found that women are twice as likely to develop gallstones, compared to men. Excess estrogen from pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, and birth control pills are some of the main causes of gall bladder stones in women. Estrogen may increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder movement, and both these can lead to formation of gallstones.

Family history is another cause of gall bladder stones. It is found that gallstones often run in families, and hence, genetic link can be considered as a cause of gall bladder stones. The weight of a person is considered one of the causes of gall bladder stones, as well. Being even moderately overweight may increase the risk of developing gallstones. The main reason behind this is that the amount of bile salts in bile gets reduced with increased weight and gradually results in more cholesterol. Increased cholesterol can reduce gallbladder emptying and in this way, obesity becomes a major cause behind formation of gall bladder stones, especially in women.

Diet is counted among the major causes of gall bladder stones. Consuming diets that are high in fat and cholesterol and low in fiber, may increase the risk of gallstones. The main reason behind this is that, such diets can increase cholesterol in the bile and reduce gallbladder emptying and thus cause formation of gallstones. Rapid weight loss is another cause behind formation of gall bladder stones. The body usually metabolises fat during prolonged fasting and rapid weight loss like "crash diets" and the liver secretes extra cholesterol into bile. This can gradually cause gallstones. Age can become a cause of gall bladder stones. Generally, the people aged above 60 years are more prone to developing gall bladder stones than the younger people. This is because; the body tends to secrete more cholesterol into bile, with increasing age.

Another cause of gall bladder stones is the cholesterol-lowering drugs. These drugs actually increase the amount of cholesterol secreted into bile. By doing so, they become one of the causes of gall bladder stones. Apart from the drugs, diabetes is also considered as a cause of gallstones. Usually, diabetic people have high levels of fatty acids called triglycerides and these fatty acids are possible to increase the risk of gallstones. Another possible cause behind formation of gall bladder stones is fasting. Fasting can decrease the gallbladder movement and cause the bile to become over concentrated with cholesterol. In this way, fasting becomes one of the causes of gall bladder stones.

Apart from the above mentioned causes of gal bladder stones, there are also a few other factors that can lead to formation of gallstones. Disturbances in the composition of the bile are one such cause. An irritation of the lining of the gall bladder, caused by inflammation is also considered as a cause of gall bladder stones.