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Gallstones: Frequently Asked Questions

What are Gallstones ?

Gallstones are solid crystals made of either cholesterol or bilirubin, a pigment material. They can range in size from almost microscopic to over half an inch in diameter.
Gallstones are lumps of hardened bile containing cholesterol (which needs to be eliminated), bile pigments (dead red blood cells), bile salts, calcium salts, and excretory elements from the breakdown of toxins and other chemicals. Physical properties like hardness and color may vary according to the proportions of each content. In rare cases,a gallstone can be formed by dead parasites like roundworms or liver flukes.
The gallbladder, a small, muscular, pear-shaped sac below the liver, is a reservoir for bile (produced by the liver), which is expelled into the duodenum and used by the body to digest fats. Gallstones are formed from bile components that become saturated, or too thick, and crystallize to stones. About 8% of the U.S. population has gallstones. Stones are often asymptomatic, but can lead to gallbladder inflammation. When the inflamed gallbladder tries to expel the stones, it can cause severe pain. ...
Most gallstones are made of cholesterol with the exception of people who have certain disorders of the blood. When the bile is stored in the gallbladder and the water is absorbed out of the bile, certain chemical reactions occur that cause the cholesterol to come out of solution and form stones. This is not related to high levels of cholesterol in the blood. The bile normally contains very high levels of cholesterol and other sterols that are broken down in the liver.
The gallbladder, a small, muscular, pear-shaped sac below the liver, is a reservoir for bile (produced by the liver), which is expelled into the duodenum and used by the body to digest fats. Gallstones are formed from bile components that become saturated, do not dissolve and crystallize to stones. As the stones get larger, the gallbladder becomes inflamed. When the inflamed gallbladder tries to expel the stones, it can cause severe pain. It can be life threatening if untreated, so see your physician immediately.

Are gallstones hereditary?

Answer Yes, but they are also very common. There is no benefit is screening the population for gallstones, but to treat individuals appropriately once diagnosed.

Where do gallstones form?

Gallstones can form anywhere along the biliary tract where bile is present - in the gallbladder, in the various bile ducts, and in the liver.

Why do gallstones form?

Gallstones form when chemical imbalances cause the cholesterol in the bile to become less soluble and to crystallize. These chemical imbalances could be due to a poor diet, an unhealthy liver, excessive drugs and ingested chemicals, stagnant bile, or simply the individual's natural tendency.
The gallstones appear due to a precipitation of the crystals. This is due to a malfunction of the liver who produces toxic or fatty bile.
The gallstones appear duea precipitation ofcrystals. This is duea malfunction ofliver who produces toxic or fatty bile.

How are Gallstones diagnosed?

Ultrasound examination: Many gallstones, especially silent stones, are discovered by accident during tests for other problems. But when gallstones are suspected to be the cause of symptoms, the doctor is likely to do an ultrasound exam. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of organs. If stones are present, the sound waves will bounce off them, showing their location. ...

Who is at risk for Gallstones?

Women :: People in 3rd & 4th decade :: Overweight men and women :: People who fast or lose a lot of weight quickly :: Pregnant women, women on hormone therapy, and women who use birth control pill

What causes Gallstones?

Cholesterol Stones Scientists believe cholesterol stones from when bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts, or when the gallbladder does not empty, as it should for some other reason. Pigment Stones The cause of pigment stones is uncertain. They tend to develop in people who have cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, and hereditary blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia. Other factors it is believe that the mere presence of gallstones may cause more gallstones to develop. ...
If the liver is overloaded with toxins and saturated fats, the bile (which carries toxins and fats) will eventually inflame the Gall Bladder. When enough cholesterol deposits (from saturated fats) have formed, they crystallize with the bile to form gallstones.
If the liver is overloaded with toxins and saturated fats, the bile (which carries toxins and fats) will eventually inflame the gallbladder. When enough cholesterol deposits (from saturated fats) have formed, they crystallize with the bile to form gallstones.
The gallbladder is about 3 inches long and stores and releases bile into the intestine to help digestion. Bile is a liquid made by the liver. It contains water, cholesterol, bile salts, fats, proteins, and bilirubin, a bile pigment. During digestion, the gallbladder contracts to release bile into the intestine where the bile salts help break down fat. Bile also dissolves excess cholesterol. ...

What are the symptoms of gallstones?

People with gallstones do not know they have them until they block the pipes draining the gallbladder, causing inflammation, or move out of the gallbladder and block the pipe leading directly to the intestine, causing jaundice, fever or severe colic. People with gallstones may have indigestion, perhaps noticed after a rich or heavy meal. The symptoms of gallbladder trouble are pains below the right ribs and sometimes an ache in the back near the shoulder blade. ...

Can gallstones be dissolved?

Therapy to dissolve gallstones is only possible if the gallbladder is working normally and the stones are not calcified. Many months of treatment are required with a high incidence of side effects such as diarrhoea. Once the treatment is completed new stones are often formed. For these reasons gallstone dissolution therapy is rarely used.

Does using Optifast cause gallstones?

Gallstones occur when the amount of cholesterol present in the gallbladder is greater than the amount that can be dissolved in the bile. A high fat diet is the most common reason for passing such large amounts of cholesterol into the bile. A high fat diet is the primary cause of obesity, therefore, gallstones are almost always seen in people who are overweight. Anyone losing weight does so by metabolizing their body fat. This results in increased cholesterol being passed into the bile, just like a high fat diet. ...
Gallstones occur when the amount of cholesterol present in the gallbladder is greater than the amount that can be dissolved in the bile. A high fat diet is the most common reason for passing such large amounts of cholesterol into the bile. A high fat diet is the primary cause of obesity, therefore, gallstones are almost always seen in people who are overweight. Anyone losing weight does so by metabolizing their body fat. This results in increased cholesterol being passed into the bile, just like a high fat diet. ...

What symptoms can be associated with gallstones?

Severe pain in the upper right abdomen. Fever. Nausea and vomiting. Jaundice. Chronic gas. Excessive belching.
Severe pain in the upper right abdomen. * Fever. * Nausea and vomiting. * Jaundice. * Chronic gas. * Belching. * Sluggishness.

Are gallstones and ureteral stones related?

No, there is no known link. They are formed in different areas of the body. Also, if you have a gallstone, you are not necessarily more likely to develop kidney stones.

How to prevent gallstones formation?

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answ. 21 mon 7514 Oxygen Therapies 1 answ. 3 year 7432 What is the best Rife machine or Bio feed... 7 answ. 74 days 7356 Nickel Crowns Replacement 1 answ. 3 year 7198 Can I do a body detox while breastfeeding... 1 answ. 29 mon 7054
Source: curezone.com
answ. 21 mon 7516 Oxygen Therapies 1 answ. 3 year 7432 What is the best Rife machine or Bio feed... 7 answ. 74 days 7359 Nickel Crowns Replacement 1 answ. 3 year 7199 Can I do a body detox while breastfeeding... 1 answ. 29 mon 7054
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Does everyone with gallstones develop cholecystitis?

There are many people walking around who have gallstones who do not even know it. They have never had an attack or any other symptoms. In these cases, there is no need to remove the gallbladder.

How can I get rid of the gallstones?

The doctor can try to dissolve the stones, but this is made gradually on a period of several years with the help of medication. Also, keeping a diet low in fats will help your liver more than you think. Sometimes if the gallstone gets stuck in the neck of the gall bladder or in the cystic duct, acute cholecystitis might appear, meaning that the gallbladder got inflamed and distended, creating a localized peritonitis. ...

Why are the gallstones forming in the liver?

Most people believe that gallstones can be found only in the gallbladder. This is a common false assumption. Most gallstones are actually formed in the liver and comparatively few occur in the gallbladder. Quote from Andreas Moritz, "During my thirty years of practicing natural medicine,I have dealt with thousands of people suffering from all types of diseases. I can document that each person, without exception, has had considerable quantities of gallstones in their liver. ...
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