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Gall Bladder Stone
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Gall Bladder Stone
Cholelithiasis, the development of gallstones, refers to a collection of one or multiple stones in the gallbladder, a hollow organ, found underneath the liver, which stores the digestive enzyme bile. Mostly, the stones tend to form in the gallbladder but can also form in the bile duct when the duct gets narrowed or the gall bladder is removed.
You have a terrible pain and tenderness in the upper right area of your abdomen, a pain between your shoulder blades, you feel nauseous and ready to die. You sit, stand and lie down but cannot get comfortable. So you go to see your doctor, who very helpfully informs you that you have Acute Cholecystitis and that the only cure is to have your gallbladder surgically removed. What? Did you hear correctly? Sadly, yes you did.
The standard medical treatment for Acute Cholecystitis is the removal of the gallbladder, an operation called a cholecystectomy. This is akin to removing one’s nose to cure the common cold! But, surgery gives invite to other problems as well, which is not good for gut health. It increases the risk of bowel cancer as bile drips continuously into the digestive system. This constant dripping also causes diarrhoea in some people. Removing the gallbladder may also cause higher blood cholesterol levels.
Does it mean – there is no permanent cure for Cholecystitis? There is! Homeopathy has a solution for this ailment. It is the natural, safest and painless way to get rid of the gallstones and keep gallbladder healthy!
What is Cholecystitis (Gallstones)?
Bile, which comprises water, bile salts, lecithin and cholesterol, is first produced by the liver and then secreted through channels within the liver into a small tube called a hepatic duct. From there it passes through a larger tube called a common duct, which leads to the small intestine. Then, except for a small amount that drains directly into the small intestine, bile flows into the gallbladder through the cystic duct. The gallbladder is a four inch sac with a muscular wall that is located under the liver. Here, most of the fluid (about 2-5 cups a day) is removed, leaving a few tablespoons of concentrated bile. The gallbladder basically serves as a reservoir until bile is needed in the small intestine for the digestion of fat. When food enters the small intestine, a hormone called cholecystokinin is released, signalling the gallbladder to contract. The force of the contraction propels the bile back through the common bile duct and then into the small intestine, where it emulsifies fatty molecules so that fat and the fat absorbable vitamins A, D, E and K can enter the bloodstream through the intestinal lining.
The majority of gallstones are formed from cholesterol (which comprises only about 5% of bile) and grow because the liver begins secreting bile that is unusually saturated with cholesterol. The cholesterol then crystallises to form stones while in storage in the gallbladder. Around 15% of stones are formed from bile salts and are called pigment stones. Whilst cholesterol stones are usually green in colour, pigment stones are usually brown or black. It is possible to have a combination of both stones.
Causes of Gallstone Formation
The formation of gallstones may be caused by a large number of factors:
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Faulty diet i.e. high levels of saturated fats or refined carbohydrates
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common for people over 40 years of age
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having excess oestrogen from pregnancy, taking HRT or the contraceptive pill
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obesity
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sudden and rapid weight loss
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yo-yo dieting
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following a very low calorie diet
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fasting
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lack of exercise
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food allergies (the most common of which are, in order of occurrence, eggs, pork, onions, fowl, milk, coffee, citrus, corn, beans and nuts)
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having diabetes, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver
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excessive consumption of sugar
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taking cholesterol lowering drugs or using diuretic drugs, certain antibiotics, anti-rejection drugs and prostaglandins
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stress
A gallbladder that does not contract sufficiently to empty the bile regularly will encourage the formation of gallstones. Researchers believe dieting may cause a shift in the balance of bile salts and cholesterol in the gallbladder. Skipping meals decreases gallbladder contractions, as does eating meals that are extremely low in fat. A meal or snack needs to contain approximately 10 grams of fat to contract the gallbladder normally.
How common is Cholecystitis (Gallstones)?
The incidence of acute cholecystitis is 0.12%. Between 10-20% of all adults over 40 years of age have gallstones. Approximately 80% of all gallstones show no symptoms and may remain ‘silent’ (asymptomatic) for years. If symptoms do occur, the chance of developing pain is about 2% per year for the first 10 years after stone formation, after which the chance of developing symptoms decreases, although the reason for this decrease is unclear. On average, symptoms take eight years to develop. After an attack, the chance of a recurring attack within a year is less than 50%. Left untreated, gallstones may cause peritonitis, pancreatitis and an increased risk of gallbladder cancer. Gallstones are present in 80% of people with gallbladder cancer, although this is a very rare cancer, even among people with gallstones.
Homeopathy Treatment
Homeopathy successfully dissolves small and medium-sized gallstones and helps you avoid the gallbladder removal. It also provides fast pain relief in gallbladder attacks and can be used for prevention and treatment of biliary colic. The medicines are natural, effective and have no side-effects. In patients with gallbladder removal homeopathy can alleviate the digestive disorders after surgery.