SHAFAQNA-
Gallstones are painful and can become a health risk. Anyone who has suffered from them will tell you that the pain that comes from them are sharp and sometimes lasts for hours.
What Is a Gallbladder and What Are Gallstones?
The gallbladder is an organ whose main purpose is to store liquid in our body; liquid that is known as bile. Bile helps to digest fatty substances that are found in the food we eat. Bile is formed by liver cells and contains such ingredients as cholesterol, water, bile salts, bicarbonates, bile acids and bile pigments. Gallstones form when the solid ingredients of bile come together and form gallstones. When gallstones are formed they prevent the normal flow of bile, which then causes pain that comes from gallstones.
Symptoms of Gallstones
Symptoms of gallstones are different for each person but some of the most common symptoms are: a stabbing pain in the pit of your stomach, long and constant dull pain that comes from the liver and then travels to the spine, fever, vomiting or nausea, stools that are pale in color and irregular bowels.
Why Do They Occur?
Physicians and others have different thoughts on what causes gallstones but most agree that they come as a result of eating too many greasy or salty foods, from those who are overweight and women more than men.
Medical Procedures to Get Rid of Gallstones
There are medical and surgical procedures to get rid of gallstones but there are also home remedies and preventative measures that can help. Here are three surgical procedures that help with gallstones:
There is Ursodeoxycholic acid. This is a pill that a patient takes that helps to dissolve the gallstones. It usually takes two to three years to remove the gallstones but if the treatment is stopped, the gallstones may return.
Then, there is Lithotripsy. This is when a machine called the lithotripter places high-intensity sound waves in order to break up the stones into smaller parts. When they become smaller they can then go through the gallbladder duct and out of the body in a bowel movement.
Next, is Cholecystectomy. This is a surgical procedure that removes the gallbladder and is only done only in extreme cases. The most common way this is done is the procedure known as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Three or more punctures are made in the abdomen to help remove the gallbladder.
Alternative Remedies for Getting Rid of Gallstones
One remedy is known as the gallstone flush. This consists of drinking four glasses of pure apple juiceâ€â€store bought or mixed in a juicer. Another remedy is to eat five apples a day for five days. This should serve as a meal for two to three days.
Yet another method is drinking two liters of juice that is made from warm water, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemons (It is advised to supplement your diet with multivitamins and sources of magnesium when trying this method.)
Use Caution
These “flushesâ€â€Œ claim to dissolve the gallstones but there is no scientific proof. But, with any health concern such as this one, it is best to first consult a doctor or better yet, leave gallstone treatments to a qualified physician.