What are gallstones?

Gallstones are the accumulation of digestive fluid that has solidified and can develop in the gallbladder. For digestion, your liver produces bile, which is stored in and released by your gallbladder. Wastes like cholesterol and bilirubin, which your body produces as it breaks down red blood cells, are also carried by bile. Gallstones can develop from these things. The size of a gallstone can vary from a grain of sand to a golf ball. While some people only have one gallstone, others may experience many at once.

How is it caused?

Gallstones can be formed mainly for three reasons:

Excess amount of cholesterol in the bile:

Normally, the chemicals in your bile are sufficient to break down the cholesterol your liver excretes. However, if your liver excretes excess cholesterol, than your bile can break down; it may crystallize and eventually become a gallstone.

Excess bilirubin in the bile:

A substance called bilirubin is created as part of the regular breakdown of red blood cells. Following creation, it moves through the liver before being eliminated from the body. Your liver may overproduce bilirubin under certain circumstances, such as liver disease and some blood diseases. When your gallbladder cannot break down the extra bilirubin, pigment gallstones develop.

The gallbladder doesn't empty properly:

Bile may become extremely concentrated if your gallbladder doesn't drain fully or frequently enough, which can lead to the development of gallstones.

What are the symptoms?

The typical symptoms of gallstones include:

• Pain directly behind your ribs in your upper belly, frequently on the right.
• Pain on the right shoulder or back
• Stomach ache.
• Vomiting
• yellow eyes or skin.
• Light-colored faces and dark pee.
• Additional digestive issues, such as gas, heartburn, and indigestion.
• Chills and fever.

How to prevent it?

Your risk of gallstones may be reduced by making some lifestyle modifications like:

• Consume a diet rich in fiber and beneficial fats, such as fish oil and olive oil. Avoid sugar, processed carbohydrates, and bad fats.
• Exercise often, five days a week, for at least 30 minutes, is ideal.
• Stay away from diets that cause you to lose a lot of weight quickly and maintain a healthy weight.

What are the non-surgical treatments for gallstones?

You won't need treatments if the gallstones occur without any pain or symptoms. Or, if your gallstone is very small, your doctor might give you some medications that can dissolve the gallstones without any harm. But this process might take months or years, depending on the size.

A bile salt can be used to dissolve certain gallstones; however, the method can only be used for stones made of cholesterol and not bile pigments. High-frequency sound waves are used in shock wave treatment, another non-surgical method, to break up the stones. After that, bile salt is given to help break up tiny bits. If all these non-surgical techniques don't resolve the issue, the doctor might suggest you undergo surgery.