Gallstones – How to Prevent Them

MONDAY’S story about charges being laid against an employee at a southeast Queensland abattoir over the theft of gallstones from slaughter cattle has aroused considerable interest. It has led to claims that meat processors must be making a fortune from the items, at beef producers’ expense.

But, as one of the world’s leading dealers in gallstones points out, they’re a precious commodity. They’re also in high demand as a Chinese herbal medicine, and are sold for up to $20,000 per kilogram.

What are gallstones?

Gallstones are bits of crystalized bile that can form in your gallbladder, which is located in your upper right abdomen under your liver. The gallbladder stores bile, which is a digestive fluid that helps break down fats and other food ingredients. It is also responsible for storing and carrying waste products from the liver, pancreas, and small intestine.

Your bile ducts carry the bile to your small intestine, where it can help break down fats and absorb vitamins. When gallstones block the ducts, it can cause pain and other problems.

You can get gallstones for many reasons. For example, you may have a genetic predisposition for them. A family history of gallstones increases your risk of developing them. Or, you might have a diet that’s high in cholesterol and saturated fat.

When you have gallstones, the bile in your gallbladder can’t drain properly. This can lead to a buildup of bile in your gallbladder (cholelithiasis).

The bile your gallbladder produces and stores flows into your common bile duct, which connects your gallbladder with the rest of your biliary tract. The bile then travels to the first part of your small intestine, where it helps break down and absorb fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients.

If a stone blocks your duct, it can cause an inflammatory condition called biliary colic. This can cause sharp or cramping pain in the middle to right upper part of your abdomen that may spread to your back. The pain usually goes away when the stone passes into your small intestine.

A large stone that blocks your duct can cause severe pain that lasts for hours. It can make you feel like you’re going to pass out. The pain is also sometimes accompanied by fever, chills, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

You can have gallstones in any age group. But older adults and people who are overweight or have a family history of gallstones have an increased risk of getting them.

Treatment for gallstones can include a medical procedure called cholecystectomy, which removes the gallbladder and its ducts. This is a very effective treatment for most people who have gallstones. However, if you have a lot of recurring stones after surgery, or if they cause complications, it is usually best to see your doctor for an endoscopy to remove them.

Symptoms of gallstones

If you have gallstones, you probably won’t have any symptoms unless a stone blocks the flow of bile through your ducts and obstructs your bowel. The bile in your ducts helps you digest fats, so when your gallstones block this, it can cause pain and inflammation called cholecystitis.

Your biliary tract contains your gallbladder and three main ducts that carry bile from the gallbladder to your small intestine (duodenum). The liver makes bile, which dissolves cholesterol, and sends it to the gallbladder when necessary. The ducts also send waste and digestive juices from the liver to the duodenum.

Some people get gallstones because their bile doesn’t empty completely or often enough. This can happen if you’re pregnant or have a condition that causes your gallbladder to produce too much bilirubin, such as cirrhosis of the liver.

A doctor can tell you have gallstones when they see a lump in your liver or when you have a pain in your upper right abdomen that doesn’t go away. The pain may be mild or severe and last a few minutes to several hours, usually after eating or drinking something.

Gallstones are made up of a mixture of water, bile salts, cholesterol, and lecithin. The amount of these substances in your bile can change because of changes in your diet or health.

High-cholesterol foods, such as fatty meats, butter, and cheese, can increase your risk of gallstones. This is especially true for those who are overweight or have diabetes. Getting a healthy balance of the right types of cholesterol in your diet can help to reduce your risk.

If you have a history of gallstones or if your doctor suspects you have them, they might recommend a test. This might include a blood test, an ultrasound scan, or X-rays.

Another test is endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which combines an X-ray with a long flexible tube that lets your doctor look at the ducts that carry bile. A dye is injected into the ducts so your doctor can see them clearly on X-rays.

A specialised camera is used to take pictures of your bile ducts and the gallbladder. Your doctor can use the dye to make a diagnosis and determine whether you have a blockage that needs treatment. They may also remove a gallstone if it’s causing problems.

Treatment for gallstones

There is some variation in the treatment for gallstones, but the main goal is to prevent future problems. Your doctor will decide whether to start treatment for you based on your symptoms and the results of diagnostic tests.

Symptoms: If you have gallstones and they’re causing pain, it’s important to get treated quickly. This can help you avoid a potentially life-threatening problem called biliary colic. It occurs when the duct that carries bile from your gallbladder to your small intestine becomes blocked by stones.

Your doctor may also prescribe ursodeoxycholic acid to dissolve the stones. However, this can cause side effects such as stomach irritation and itchy skin.

Non-invasive treatments: Some doctors use a procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This uses X-rays to find and remove the gallstones, or let them pass naturally in your stools.

Another method is using an electrically heated wire to widen the opening of your bile duct. This allows the stones to be removed or passed into your bowel, and you can go home the same day.

Surgery: If your doctor thinks that you have a large number of gallstones, they might suggest surgery to remove the gallbladder and its contents. This is usually done through a very small incision under local anaesthetic, and most people can have it as a day case.

If your doctor thinks that you have fewer stones than this, they might recommend a technique called ultrasonic shock wave therapy. This is a simple and inexpensive way to break up a small number of your gallstones.

Some doctors use a procedure called ERCP to treat gallstones that have travelled to the common bile duct instead of to the gallbladder. This can be a serious problem that can lead to choledocholithiasis, cholecystoenteric fistulas, and Mirizzi’s syndrome.

Other ERCP procedures are used to treat gallstones that have travelled outside of your bile duct and are blocking your pancreas or intestine. These are called choledochal cysts and can be extremely dangerous, especially when the stone is large enough to block your bowel (intestine).

There are also many other types of treatments for gallstones that don’t require surgery or have a major impact on your health. For example, some doctors believe that a low-fat diet or eating smaller meals more often can help prevent the formation of gallstones.

Preventing gallstones

Gallstones can form for a number of reasons, including genetics and diet. Keeping cholesterol levels low and eating a healthy, balanced diet may reduce your risk of developing gallstones. Avoiding high-sugar, high-fat foods may also help lower your risk. However, it’s not clear whether avoiding fatty foods will actually prevent gallstones.

The most common way to prevent gallstones is to consume a diet low in fat and sugar. It is also important to keep a healthy weight. Regular exercise and getting enough sleep are also known to lower the risk of gallstones.

Aside from a healthy diet, it is also important to get enough dietary fiber. Foods that contain a lot of fiber can help prevent gallstones by slowing down the production of fat.

One of the best ways to do this is to add more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables to your diet. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can also lower your cholesterol level, which can make you less likely to develop gallstones.

In addition to adding more fiber to your diet, reducing your intake of fatty foods and limiting your consumption of sugar can help lower your risk of gallstones. These changes can also help you lose weight and decrease your cholesterol levels.

It’s also important to limit your alcohol intake. Studies have linked moderate alcohol consumption to a lower risk for symptom-causing gallstones.

Increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can also reduce your risk of developing gallstones. This is because the fish oils in omega-3 fatty acids can stimulate the gallbladder to contract and produce more bile, which can then break down the fats.

If you do have a history of gallstones, it’s especially important to consult with a doctor before making any dietary changes. A doctor can evaluate your health and recommend a treatment plan based on your symptoms, age, and medical history.

Another way to prevent gallstones is to drink a lot of water. This will help flush out toxins from your body and keep the gallbladder and kidneys functioning properly.

Taking supplements to improve the function of your gallbladder and liver is also an effective way to prevent gallstones. This can include taking a probiotic supplement or a vitamin C supplement. The antioxidants in these products can help prevent damage to your organs from free radicals and toxins in the environment.

Gallstones – How to Prevent Them