The gallbladder is a small organ. Its main function is to store bile produced by the liver, but it also aids in digestion. Gallbladder disease is more common in women, people who are overweight, people with digestive disorders, and people with high cholesterol levels. Gallstones are the main cause of gallbladder disease, however, there are two less common causes, namely gallbladder cancer, and gallbladder attack or cholecystitis. Recognizing the symptoms and treating gallbladder disease can help you avoid pain and other medical complications.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Recognizing Common Gallbladder Problems
Step 1. Understand gallbladder disorders
When the bile hardens, gallstones will form. Gallstones vary in size, from the size of sand to the size of a golf ball.
Step 2. Watch for signs of jaundice
A yellowish color will appear on the skin and the whites of the eyes, and the stool will be pale or light in color. Jaundice or jaundice usually occurs when gallstones block the bile ducts, allowing bile to flow back into the liver, and eventually into the bloodstream.
Step 3. Recognize the symptoms of cholecystitis
Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. This disease can be caused by gallstones, tumors, or other bile disorders. Attacks of this disease often cause severe pain that usually occurs on the right side of the body, or between the shoulder blades. Pain that arises is often accompanied by nausea and other gastric disorders.
- The accumulation of bile in the gallbladder can cause a gallbladder attack.
- Gallbladder attacks can feel different for each person. While the pain is usually on the right side or between the shoulder blades, a gallbladder attack may also feel like lower back pain, cramping, or something similar.
Step 4. Understand how diet affects the gallbladder
Large or fatty foods can trigger a gallbladder attack. These attacks often occur at night, a few hours after eating.
Gallbladder attacks are usually a symptom of another problem with the gallbladder. If the function of the gallbladder is impaired, and it cannot empty itself as quickly as it should, a gallbladder attack may occur
Method 2 of 3: Recognizing Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease
Step 1. Be aware of the early symptoms of the disease
Some of the early symptoms of gallbladder disease include flatulence, belching, heartburn, constipation, or indigestion. These signs can be ignored, or diagnosed and considered a less serious problem, but early treatment can be the key to recovery.
- These symptoms indicate that the food is not digesting properly, which is common in gallbladder disease.
- Sharp stabbing pains, or pain such as bloating or cramping in the middle of the body may also be felt.
Step 2. Watch for symptoms similar to stomach flu, or mild cases of food poisoning
These symptoms include prolonged nausea and fatigue, and vomiting.
Step 3. Pay attention to the pain you feel
Gallbladder problems can cause pain in your upper abdomen that extends to your right shoulder. This pain can be constant, or intermittent, depending on the specific cause of the gallbladder problem.
This pain may be more severe after eating high-fat foods
Step 4. Watch for body odor and bad breath
If you have had body odor problems for a long time, or bad breath (halitosis), this is usually not a serious problem. However, if you experience it suddenly, and the condition doesn't subside within a few days, it could be a sign of a certain problem, such as a gallbladder disorder.
Step 5. Watch your stool
One of the most obvious signs of a gallbladder problem is stools that are light or pale in color. Bright, soft stools can be caused by a lack of bile. Your urine may also be darker in color, and this color may not change with increasing water intake.
Some people have diarrhea for three months or more, and have bowel movements up to 10 times a day
Step 6. Watch for symptoms of fever, chills, and chills
These symptoms usually occur in cases of advanced gallbladder disease. Again, these symptoms are common with other illnesses, but if you also have abdominal pain and other gallbladder symptoms, a fever may be a sign that your illness is getting worse.
Method 3 of 3: Seeking Medical Treatment
Step 1. See a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms associated with gallbladder disease
If you experience multiple symptoms, if your symptoms worsen, or if you develop new symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Some gallbladder problems, such as small gallstones, do not require invasive medical treatment. Problems like this can go away on their own. However, a doctor's examination is needed to make sure there are no more serious problems
Step 2. Schedule an abdominal ultrasound examination
To determine the level of effectiveness of gallbladder function, or to find out if there is a larger blockage in the organ, an ultrasound examination is needed. The ultrasound technician will check for gallstones, bile flow, and signs of a tumor (which is rare).
- Most polyps found in the gallbladder on ultrasound are very small, and do not need to be removed. Your doctor may monitor smaller polyps through a follow-up ultrasound to make sure they don't grow in size. Larger polyps generally indicate a greater risk of gallbladder cancer.
- Removal of gallbladder polyps is determined by your doctor's diagnosis.
Step 3. Have gallbladder surgery if necessary
Many problems with the gallbladder can be treated by removing large gallstones, or the gallbladder as a whole (cholecystectomy). The human body can function normally without a gallbladder, so don't be surprised if your doctor recommends surgical removal.
Gallstones are almost never cured with medication. The time it takes to dissolve gallstones with medication can be years, and the size of stones that can be treated effectively is so small that this treatment option is almost never taken
Tips
- Reduce consumption of fatty foods.
- Doctors advise his patients to drink water and eat a balanced diet.
- Over-the-counter digestive enzymes can moderately relieve the frequency of symptoms, such as gas and pain, by helping to digest fats, dairy products, and large meals.
