Gallstones

The gallbladder is a small sac lying on the underside of the liver. The liver produces bile, a greenish-brown liquid, which is stored in the gallbladder. The bile is passed into the small intestine through bile ducts (small tubes) where it helps with digestion (mainly of fats).

Gallstones are hard pieces of stone-like material that are made from cholesterol, calcium carbonate (chalk), calcium bilirubinate (mineral similar to chalk), or a mixture of these. They are normally caused when the chemical balance of your bile has too much cholesterol in it. This causes the bile to form into small particles which may then grow into gallstones. Gallstones are more likely to occur if: your bile contains too much cholesterol if the outlet from your gallbladder is blocked, or infected, or if you have a family history of gallstones. Most gallstones  are usually about the size of a pea but, in some cases, they can be much smaller, like fine gravel.

Symptoms:
Less than 20% of people with gallstones have symptoms because they usually stay in the gallbladder and cause no problems. However, sometimes gallstones  may lead to your gallbladder becoming inflamed (cholecystitis) which can cause: pain below your ribs on the right hand side, pain in your back and right shoulder, fever, nausea, and vomiting. If gallstones  pass down your bile duct into your duodenum, you will experience a painful condition known as biliary colic. The pain is usually felt in the upper part of your abdomen, in the centre, or a little to the right, and often occurs about an hour after a meal that has a particularly high fat content. Gallstones  can sometimes cause flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature and shivering. This can be a sign that gallstones  are causing an infection to develop in your gallbladder.

Treatment:
If gallstones  are detected, treatment is not always required. Treatment is only needed if gallstones cause inflammation of your gallbladder, block your bile ducts, or move from your bile ducts into your intestines. As gallstones  are often made from fatty substances, such as cholesterol, a well-balanced, healthy diet, that is low in saturated fat, is recommended. Surgery (cholecystectomy) Gallstones  are normally treated by surgically removing your gall bladder in a procedure known as a cholecystectomy.

Prevention:
Many of the factors that increase the risk of developing gallstones  are fixed, such as age and gender, and cannot be prevented. However, due to the role cholesterol plays in the formation of gallstones  , it is advisable to avoid eating fatty foods with a high cholesterol content. A low fat, high fibre diet is recommended including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (five portions a day) and whole grains. Being overweight also increases the amount of cholesterol in your bile, and your chances of developing gallstones. You should therefore control your weight by eating a healthy diet and taking plenty of regular exercise. However, you should avoid low calorie, rapid weight loss diets as there is evidence to suggest that it disrupts your bile chemistry, increasing the chance of gallstones . A more gradual weight loss plan is recommended. For some relief from the pain try massaging the area of the gall bladder (right hand side of the diaphragm) with Lavender and Rosemary essential oils diluted in carrier oil.