Ox Gallstones Singapore

Historically, ox gallstones, or bezoars, have been used in Chinese herbal medicine. This is based on their ability to help promote the flow of bile, prevent disease and improve overall health.

This tradition still holds true today. It’s a lucrative one for farmers, butchers and meat workers around the world.

What are Gallstones?

Gallstones are hardened deposits of bile that form inside your gallbladder, which is a small pear-shaped organ found under your liver on the right side. It stores bile, a fluid that helps your body digest fats and other foods.

About 10-15% of adults have gallstones. They can be very small or very large. People with gallstones do not usually have symptoms and are often diagnosed as a result of an imaging test for another condition or during a health screening.

If you have gallstones, your doctor may suggest a procedure called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This surgery removes your gallbladder and its ducts so that the bile can flow more freely. This is the gold standard in gallstone treatment and can help alleviate pain and improve overall digestion.

However, some people develop complications from gallstones, including a bile duct blockage known as choledocholithiasis, which can cause severe pain and jaundice. This type of blockage is rare, but it can cause serious problems if left untreated.

In addition, a blocked bile duct can also lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that can be very painful and uncomfortable. These conditions can be treated by removing the gallbladder or by having a stent installed to open up the bile ducts.

Some people develop gallstones during their lifetime, while others only get them once or twice. They can occur in anyone, but are more common in people with high cholesterol levels and a history of diabetes or obesity.

80% of gallstones are formed from excess cholesterol in the blood. This cholesterol hardens when it comes into contact with a waste product in the gallbladder known as bilirubin.

The risk of developing gallstones is higher in women than men. This is because female hormones make it harder for the body to control cholesterol. Other factors that increase the risk of gallstones include a family history of high cholesterol, obesity, and a diet high in red meat and refined sugar.

If you are suffering from gallstones, you should seek medical care as soon as possible. This will allow you to receive effective treatments that will reduce or eliminate your symptoms and prevent further complications. You should also make sure you maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet and avoid smoking to reduce your risk of gallstones.

How do Gallstones form?

Gallstones form when the bile that is produced by the liver hardens in the gallbladder. The bile contains water, several types of solids like cholesterol, salts and fats, as well as a yellow pigment called bilirubin. This bile is carried through tubes that connect the gallbladder to the small intestine.

The gallbladder produces and stores bile to help the body digest fats and absorb certain nutrients. It is a pear-shaped organ that sits on the right side of the abdomen.

It works with the liver to make bile, which is then squeezed out through a series of tubes that connect to the small intestine. The ducts from the gallbladder and the hepatic (liver) ducts combine to create the common bile duct.

Bile is important for absorbing fatty acids, vitamins and other nutrients from food. It also helps the body break down fats and other foods.

Some people have a genetic predisposition to secrete high levels of cholesterol in the bile that can eventually crystallize into gallstones. In addition, certain blood disorders and diseases, including liver cirrhosis and biliary tract infections, may lead to too much bilirubin in the bile.

Cholesterol gallstones are the most common type of gallstone. They are usually yellow-green in color and composed mainly of undissolved cholesterol. They account for about 80 percent of all gallstones in developed countries.

Pigment stones, on the other hand, are dark brown or black in color and are mainly made of bilirubin. They form when the body breaks down red blood cells, causing an excess of bilirubin in the bile.

Normally, the bile from your gallbladder is filtered through the hepatic ducts before it enters your intestine. But if your gallbladder doesn’t empty properly or frequently enough, the bile can become concentrated, forming stone-like deposits that clog bile ducts and impede its movement to the small intestine.

Most gallstones don’t cause any symptoms, but if they block the ducts that carry bile to the small intestine, they can result in serious problems. In some cases, the ducts can be blocked so severely that a patient will need bile duct surgery to remove them.

What are the symptoms of Gallstones?

Gallstones can form in your gallbladder, the pear-shaped organ that stores digestive fluid (bile) and releases it into your small intestine. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball.

When they block the tubes that carry bile (bile ducts), gallstones can cause sudden pain in your upper right abdomen. This pain is called biliary colic or gallbladder attack and needs to be treated immediately.

Some of the most common symptoms are a dull, persistent pain in your upper right abdominal area that lasts from minutes to hours. It can also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting that doesn’t seem to relieve the pain.

Occasionally, the gallbladder can become inflamed and infected, and you may experience what’s known as an empyema, which is a pus-filled mass that develops in the gallbladder. This is usually very painful and can be a life-threatening problem.

If your gallbladder becomes inflamed or if you have an infection, your doctor will run a test called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). They use X-rays and a long flexible lighted tube (endoscope) to look at your bile ducts and see if any stones are blocking them.

They can remove any impacted stones, if necessary. They also can drain your gallbladder using a procedure called percutaneous drainage.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe a medicine to dissolve your gallstones. This can work about 75% of the time, but it’s not a permanent solution.

Other ways to treat gallstones include surgery. Most gallstones can be removed through a surgery called cholecystectomy. This surgery is safe, and most patients recover quickly.

You can lower your risk of getting gallstones by eating a healthy diet and taking steps to avoid smoking and alcohol. Other factors, like high cholesterol levels or being overweight, can make you more likely to get gallstones.

Some people have gallstones without any signs or symptoms. These are sometimes called silent gallstones. They don’t stop the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas from working properly.

However, if you have an impacted gallstone that blocks your bile ducts, you might have a condition called acute cholecystitis or chronic cholecystitis. This can cause severe pain and other symptoms, including jaundice. The condition can also lead to inflammation in your pancreas and liver, which can be dangerous.

How can I treat Gallstones?

Gallstones are a common problem that can cause pain, discomfort, and bile duct obstruction. They can also lead to a serious complication called cholecystitis, which can lead to severe inflammation and infection of the gallbladder.

There are several ways to treat gallstones, including medications, surgery, and a natural herbal medicine. Generally, the main treatment is removing the gallbladder, which may be done in an outpatient procedure or through the use of a laparoscopic approach.

Symptoms of gallstones are usually a sign of a problem, and they include pain in the abdomen after eating fatty foods or when gallbladder contractions occur. The pain is often worse after a meal and may be felt in the center of the upper abdomen.

A person can be diagnosed with gallstones by a medical professional who performs a physical examination and a full abdominal ultrasound scan. Typically, an ultrasound scan is used to determine whether there are any gallstones in the bile ducts or if there are any blockages in the bile duct. This type of ultrasound scan also can detect other problems that may be caused by gallstones, such as a bowel obstruction or an abscess.

Another way to diagnose gallstones is through a non-invasive procedure called ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography). This procedure uses a small amount of dye to move into the bile ducts and a camera to produce cross-sectional images.

Once the gallstones are diagnosed, patients are given a prescription for a medication that helps dissolve the stones. These medicines are made from bile acid and have to be taken continuously for a number of months before they completely dissolve the gallstones.

People who have a high risk for developing gallstones, such as people with a family history of the disease or with hypercholesterolemia, are recommended to take special measures. This includes strict control of their cholesterol and weight loss if overweight or obese.

In addition, regular health checkups are recommended. These are a good way to screen for gallstones and get them treated early before symptoms start to develop.

Most asymptomatic gallstones will never cause any problems, but if you experience pain, your doctor will likely recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder. This is a major operation, but it is very effective at relieving pain and restoring normal function.

Ox Gallstones Singapore