Treating Gallstones
Treating GallstonesThe Gallbladder which helps digest food is an organ that most of us never think about -- unless we have aproblem such as Gallstones. Located beneath the liver, the gallbladder stores bile, which is released into thesmall intestine, where it helps break down fat from food. Gallstones occur when cholesterol and othersubstances in bile clump together and form hard, pebble-like deposits.Gallstones vary in size from as tiny as a grain of sand to large enough to take up a sizable part of thegallbladder. Not everyone has symptoms, but the most common ones are intense pain in the upper right ormiddle of the abdomen, pain in the back or right shoulder, nausea or vomiting.“Gallstones, when they block the gallbladder duct that leads to the intestines can cause a severeamount of pain, and at times, in severe cases, can cause jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin.”Risk factors for gallstones include being female, 40 or older, overweight or obese, having Liver Disease orDiabetes, a family history of the condition, or rapid weight loss. To help diagnose the condition, doctors useimaging tests such as ultrasound to see the stones and where they’re located.“Gallstones without symptoms usually don’t need to be treated in which case we just tell patients tokeep an eye out for symptoms. If they develop symptoms, they should contact us and let us know.”Surgery to remove the gallbladder, called Cholecystectomy, is the most common treatment. You can still digestfood without a gallbladder. Other treatments include a procedure called ERCP, in which a thin tube is inserteddown the esophagus and through the stomach to remove stones located outside the gallbladder. Andmedications that dissolve stones, which can take months or years to work.“Gallbladder surgery is the only way to permanently treat gallstones. Otherwise they may come back.You can reduce the risk of gallstones returning by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising.”This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG54192A EN TreatingGallstones.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 1
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