Gallbladder Disease Treatment

Symptoms of gallbladder disease resemble the symptoms of common stomach disorders, for example, indigestion, heartburn, belching and loss of appetite are some of the common gallbladder infection symptoms. Some people suffer from gas, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and back pain but they overlook the symptoms thinking that some stomach disorder must be causing those symptoms and it might go away on its own. Or they take some over the counter medicines. The symptoms described above can be symptoms of gallbladder diseases which need prompt medical attention.

Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease

The symptoms may vary according to the cause. The symptoms are:

• Frequent pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen
• Abdominal pain while coughing, walking, getting up, etc.
• Abdominal pain or chest pain when breathing deeply
• Stomach pain after consumption of fatty or greasy food
• Low to high grade fever, chills, fatigue
• Loss of appetite, feeling of fullness, heartburn
• Dark urine and gray stools
• Frequent belching
• Excessive burping
• Low blood pressure
• Rigid abdomen
• Chest pain, back pain or even pain between the shoulder blades
• Nausea, vomiting or indigestion
• Gas and diarrhea
• Jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes)

Treatment for Gallbladder Disease

Prompt treatment is essential to control gallbladder pain. Gallbladder works as a storehouse of bile. Excessive intake of fatty foods or very low consumption of fat, both can lead to excessive accumulation of bile and formation of gallstones. Blocked bile flow leads to several health problems. Rubbing of gallstones against the wall of gallbladder or the ducts is the main cause of abdominal pain experienced during gallbladder attack. Painkillers are given for instant relief. Intravenous administration of pain killers is required in case of severe pain. Some medications help dissolve gallstones. Lithotripsy also helps break stones. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy or traditional type of surgery is performed to remove the infected gallbladder if patients have acute gallbladder inflammation or common bile duct stones. Sometimes, delaying or avoiding surgery could be very risky.

Early stage gallbladder disease can be controlled with the help of gallbladder diet. Refined, fatty and fried foods are high in saturated fats, trans fats, hydrogenated fats and partially-hydrogenated fats. Consumption of such foods should be completely avoided if gallbladder function is affected due to infection. Red meat, cheese, butter should be avoided and lots of vegetables and fruits should be included in regular diet. Low fat versions of foods can be incorporated in the diet. If you want, you may include lean cuts of meat. You can have good fats, for example fats from olive oil, flax oil and vinegar. It has been noticed that pear juice offers pain relief. Spices like ginger, garlic, turmeric exhibit antiseptic properties. So you should use these spices generously while preparing your meals. You should have more number of smaller meals as compared to 2-3 larger meals. Since excessive consumption of cholesterol can lead to formation of gallstones, following a low cholesterol diet can prove to be beneficial if you are diagnosed with gallbladder problem.

Dysfunction of gallbladder can occur without gallstones too. Certain muscle defects or other problems in gallbladder, and certain other disorders can cause inflammation of gallbladder. Such conditions need to be treated with proper medications. If gallbladder disease treatment is found ineffective and if the pain and other symptoms are not lowered, gallbladder removal surgery is performed.

Maintaining normal body weight helps prevent gallbladder diseases. Women are more prone to such diseases, so they need to take extra care. Prompt treatment of thyroid problems, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, hemolytic anemia, Crohn's disease, etc. is essential to prevent gallbladder diseases.