Read 63 times since Tuesday, July 26, 2011
If you are tired of suffering from painful and debilitating gallstones, today is the day to do something about it. While seeking the professional help and treatment of a doctor is always the best option, there may be certain things that you can do to alleviate pain while at home.
The gallbladder sits on the right side of your body, generally just below your liver-it is a small organ, and is shaped like a pear. It works to store and secrete bile in the body-bile is a fluid produced predominantly by the liver, which helps to digest fats.
Believe it or not, our liver produces up to three cups of bile in a single day. When we consume a fatty food, our gallbladder pushes bile through the small intestine, to aid digestion.
Sometimes, there are substances within the bile that can begin to harden, forming stones. These stones can range greatly in size, from a tiny grain of sand all the way up to the size of a golf ball.
It is not hard to see why something like that could become quite painful. Those who are lucky, or who have incredibly small stones, may not notice any symptoms at all.
Others may feel tolerable symptoms such as minor bloating, intestinal gas, belching, or an intolerance to very fatty foods. However, there are people who experience extremely painful and dangerous symptoms, such as severe pain in the abdomen and back, nausea, vomiting, fever, sweating, etc.
If any of these symptoms are felt, a doctor should be consulted right away for medical treatment and diagnosis. These issues can lead to more serious problems, which may become life threatening.
There are several factors which can increase the productions and risk of these stones. Women tend to be more at risk, especially those who are pregnant.
Women who take birth control pills, are undergoing hormone therapy, or who are over sixty years of age may also be at an increased risk for development. Even those who lose large amounts of weight very quickly may be at risk-this is another reason why crash diets can be very dangerous to your health.
Even your ethnicity can factor into the production of these stones. When your gallbladder becomes full of stones, it is unable to store the proper amount of bile, and it cannot digest in the proper way.
This can cause a backup of bile in the liver, which can cause additional health problems. In some cases, the gallbladder will need to be completely removed through surgery.
This is a more extreme action to take, but may be the only course of treatment in many circumstances. It is a good idea to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, and cut back on your consumption of meats that contain saturated fats-this may bring you some relief.
In addition, it is a good idea to begin regularly exercising, and eating as healthy as possible. This can help to reduce your risk of stone development.
If you are on birth control pills or are undergoing hormone therapy, talk to your doctor about other options that may reduce your risk of stones. They may have some alternative suggestions for you, to help alleviate your discomfort.
Some researchers claim that drinking a small amount of coffee every day can help to increase the flow of bile, which can decrease the presence of gallstones. Talk to your doctor before drinking this, to make sure that it will be safe for your health.
Taking a vitamin C supplement may also be a good idea, since vitamin C is needed to convert cholesterol to bile acid. Safflowers can also be good to thin body fluids, to make the digestion process smoother.
Be sure to consult your physician before participating in any kind of gallbladder flush. These can be effective, but can be dangerous if not done safely and correctly.
You can try taking herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion, or a liver cleanse formula with the permission of your doctor. Pay attention to all of the symptoms you are having, and if they are worsening over time.
The sooner you consult the help of a doctor, the sooner you will be able to be diagnosed, and find relief. No one should have to suffer with gallstone pain, when there are treatments that are available if you know where to seek them. Tommy Greene has worked in surgical equipment sales for the past 15 years. He recommends (http://www.megadyne.com/) for information on Electrosurgical equipment.
|
|