Managing Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease

When was the last time you considered the health of your gallbladder? For most, the gallbladder isn’t a thought until it starts acting up. Perhaps you’re not even sure what it does. But when you start experiencing gallbladder issues, they’re almost always caused by gallstones.  

Unlike kidney stones, gallstones are softer and smaller, and typically made up of cholesterol, calcium deposits, and other minerals. In the United States alone, over 20 million people are affected by gallstones and subsequent gallbladder disease. The bad news is that it’s a pretty common problem to have. The good news is that it’s highly treatable through diet and lifestyle changes.

What Does the Gallbladder Do?

Your gallbladder is responsible for managing the bile produced by your liver. Your liver produces bile and your gallbladder stores and concentrates it, releasing it into the small intestine when you eat to help you digest dietary fat. This is key not only to processing a fatty meal, but helping your body absorb important fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. While not considered a vital organ (meaning you can live without one), the gallbladder optimizes the digestion of fat, making it an important player in digestive health.

Common Gallbladder Problems

While gallstones are the primary cause of gallbladder disease, they aren’t the only problem you can have. Here is an overview of potential gallbladder problems:

• Gallstones: As outlined above, these stones are typically formed when an excess cholesterol in your bile crystallizes. When gallstones become lodged in bile ducts and cause blockages, it can result in moderate to severe pain, gallbladder inflammation, and infected bile ducts. Complications from gallstones have even been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer as well as heart disease.

• Cholecystitis: The medical term for gallbladder inflammation, cholecystitis can either be acute or chronic. Nearly all people with acute (sudden) inflammation have gallstones that are causing a blockage. If left untreated, such a blockage can lead to infection, fluid build-up, and even gallbladder rupture. Chronic cholecystitis is caused by gallstones repeatedly causing blockages. Over time, these recurring attacks can damage the gallbladder by causing it to swell and shrink and the tissue to thicken and/or scar. The more damaged the gallbladder becomes, the higher the risk of rupture.

• Cholecystitis without gallstones: There is a third type of gallbladder inflammation, also known as acalculous cholecystitis which isn’t brought on by gallstones. Rather, small residue particles can cause gallbladder pain and other symptoms. This type of inflammation is typically found in people who have had recent surgery, are recovering from a blood-borne illness, engaged in extended fasting, or who have an autoimmune disease.

• Biliary dyskinesia: Also known as functional gallbladder disorder, biliary dyskinesia is when your gallbladder doesn’t empty properly due to abnormal muscle contractions or nerve problems. You experience all the same symptoms as a gallstone attack, but without the gallstones, as it causes bile to back up and leads to chronic inflammation.

Chronic gallbladder disease can lead to serious complications including gangrene, gallbladder cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, and cholangiopathy (disease of the bile ducts), making it vital to identify any potential gallbladder problems as soon as possible.

How to Spot a Gallbladder Attack

Many people have gallstones and don’t even know it. It’s when they become lodged in a bile duct and cause a blockage that people begin to experience symptoms such as:

·      Sudden and intense pain in the upper right abdomen or center of your abdomen just below the breastbone (biliary pain)

·      Pain between the shoulder blades or in the right shoulder

·      Nausea and vomiting

·      Fever and chills

Cholecystitis symptoms are the same as above, but may also include abdominal bloating and tenderness, muscles stiffness on the right side of the abdomen, and weakness or fatigue.

Who Is at Risk for Gallbladder Disease?

When it comes to gallstones and gallbladder disease, the number one culprit is the typical western diet, which is high in saturated fats and cholesterol and low in fiber. While diet plays the most critical role, there are plenty of other risk factors that can up your chances of experiencing gallbladder problems. These include:

·      Age: While anyone can be affected by gallstones, the risk increases after 40, with the chances of developing them becoming four to ten times more likely as you continue to age.

·      Gender: Women are two to three times more likely to develop gallstones than men, with women in their fertile years (ages 20 to 50) also facing an increased risk due to higher estrogen levels which raise cholesterol in the b.

·      Ethnicity: Like age and gender, anyone of any ethnic background can develop gallstones, but research shows that Native Americans have the highest rates due to a genetic predisposition to secrete higher levels of cholesterol in bile.

·      Genetic predisposition

·      Obesity

·      Rapid weight loss, prolonged fasting, and/or weight cycling

·      Sedentary lifestyle

·      Certain medications, including female hormones and thiazide diuretics

·      Having other conditions such as metabolic syndrome, celiac disease, or liver disease

How I Can Help

Whether you currently suffer from gallstones, gallbladder disease, or have risk factors, I’m here to help. Because the average American diet is largely to blame for gallstone development, changing how you eat is a critical in successfully managing and preventing gallbladder disease. Together, we can assess your diet and add in more gallbladder friendly

foods while limiting the unhealthy ones. In addition, we create an eating plan designed for your individual needs. I can also assist with:

·      Healthful eating to help manage other pre-existing conditions

·      Gradual, healthy weight-loss that doesn’t stress the gallbladder

·      Helping you find activity you enjoy counteracting a sedentary lifestyle

The answer to gallbladder disease isn’t always surgery. If you’re dealing with gallstones or other gallbladder issues, contact me today. Together, we can create an individualized plan tailored to your unique health needs and goals!