Gallstones can be quite a painful experience. Unfortunately, they are also very common. It is estimated that up to 10% of men and 20% of women have at least a small stone in the gallbladder by age 65. Because of this high prevalence, it is good to know what type of symptoms gallstones produce so that you can be on the look-out for any potential problems.
Your gallbladder is a small sac located under your liver. It is used to store and concentrate bile. Bile is a chemical that is produced in the liver and used by your body to help digest fats. Gallstones can form in the gallbladder and cause obstructions to the bile flow. Gallstones are usually made primarily of cholesterol, and in some cases calcium, which has clumped together in to a hard mass. The formal medical term for a gallstone is cholelithiasis.
What are the symptoms of gallstones?
Most people who get them have no symptoms at all. Because of this, many gallstones are found when a patient is being tested for another medical condition. They are found accidentally.
However, about a quarter of people with gallstones will experience a very characteristic pain. This pain is referred to by doctors as “biliary colic”. Biliary colic will feel like a vague cramping in the upper right part of the stomach area. The pain will typically come and go. It often gets worse after eating. Each episode of pain can last several hours. Nausea and vomiting are very common when a person is having an acute episode of biliary colic. Unfortunately, all of these symptoms can also have about a dozen other causes, so be careful not to assume you have gallstones every time you have a tummy ache.
In around 3% of cases a stone can actually become stuck in the small duct that connects the gallbladder to the rest of the gastrointestinal system. This impaction has a medical term as well. Cholelithiasis has now progressed to acute cholecystitis. Fortunately, these stones can be easily found with an ultrasound. This is the same type of machine used to look at babies, only these little ones aren’t nearly as cute. Treatment for an impacted stone involves taking out the gallbladder in a procedure called a laproscopic cholecystectomy. These procedures have become so routine that they are sometimes done on an outpatient basis. There is often no need to remain in the hospital overnight.
It’s important to remember that only a small percentage of gallstones will progress to acute cholecystitis, but that when it does, it needs to be taken quite seriously.
So there you are, a simple introduction to a common medical problem with a name that is a real pain to spell. Should you have any further questions about cholelithiasis you should ask your doctor for more information.
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