Cholelithiasis - Gallstones: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

What is Cholelithiasis?

‍Cholelithiasis also known as gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder of an individual. The gallbladder is a small organ present below the liver in the upper right of the abdomen. It is a pouch that essentially stores bile which is a yellow-green colour liquid that helps with the process of digestion. When there is too much cholesterol present in the bile is when gallstones typically form. There are two main types of cholelithiasis there is to know about:

• Cholesterol stones
• Pigment stones

Cholelithiasis Symptoms

There are some different Cholelithiasis symptoms. This can lead to pain in the upper right abdomen of the individual. This pain starts showing when the person has food that is high in fats such as fried food. The pain is known to go away in a few hours. However, apart from that, there are some other common ones which we have listed below for your reference:

• Experiencing sudden nausea
• Vomiting from time to time
• Excreting Visible dark urine
• Excreting Stool that is clay coloured
• Pain in the stomach
• Constant burping
• Going through diarrhoea
• Experiencing sudden indigestion

Who is at Risk?

‍There are various Cholelithiasis risk factors as it can happen to anyone due to multiple reasons and at any time. Some individuals are more sensitive to this condition as compared to others. However, experts have been able to identify certain risk factors related to this. We have mentioned them below for your reference:  

• Any individual who is overweight or obese
• Females are more prone to this than their male counterpart
• Someone who has a diet that is high in cholesterol and fat and low in fibre
• A pregnant woman
• Someone with an existing family history of gallstones

Cholelithiasis Causes

‍There are a number of different causes of Cholelithiasis that doctors and experts have been able to identify. We have discussed some of the causes below for your understanding:

• When there is too much cholesterol in the bile this can lead to formation of yellow cholesterol stones when the liver makes more bile then the liver can dissolve.
• Having too much bilirubin in the bile the gallbladder is unable to break down the excess bilirubin
• Having a concentrated bile due to a full gallbladder this causes the bile to become overly concentrated leading to the formation of stones.

How is Cholelithiasis Diagnosed?

‍For Cholelithiasis diagnosis, a doctor will need to perform a certain number of tests for this condition as there is no one common test to understand the root cause of the problem. We have mentioned below the different tests involved in the process of diagnosis:

• The doctor will first start with a physical test and also check your eyes and skin for any visible changes in colour. A yellow tint indicates jaundice which happens due to excess bilirubin in the body.
• Some of the other tests that the doctor may recommended based on requirement are an ultrasound, an abdominal CT Scan, a gallbladder radionuclide scan, blood tests and an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) among some others.

How is Cholelithiasis Treated?

‍There are several different methods for Cholelithiasis treatment as done by a Cholelithiasis doctor. We have mentioned in brief the different methods of treatment:

• For most of the individuals no treatment is required if there is no pain
• If pain is experienced then surgery is recommended.
• In very rare cases doctors turns to over-the-counter medicine for Cholelithiasis for treating the individual.

cult.fit, your friendly health care provider offers a variety of services for various health conditions. Some of the best gastroenterologists from all over India are in their panel to attend to any and all medical requirements.

‍How can Cholelithiasis be prevented?

Prevention of Cholelithiasis starts with practicing and incorporating certain dietary changes.

• Ensure that you reduce your intake of fats in your diet and instead opt for low-fat foods when possible.
• Avoid eating fried foods and food that are greasy and high in fat content.
• Increase your daily fiber intake by including more fiber rich food in your diet to ensure that your bowel movements remain solid.
• Ensure hydration.

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