Gallstones – Symptoms and Causes

What Are Gallstones?

Hard Deposits in the Gallbladder

Gallstones are solid deposits that form in the gallbladder. This small pear-shaped organ is located under the liver on the right side of your abdomen. These stones develop when substances in bile harden into solid particles. Bile is a digestive fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder until needed for digestion.

The size of gallstones varies greatly. Some may be tiny like grains of sand, while others can grow as large as golf balls. A person might develop just one stone or many stones at the same time.

Most gallstones cause no symptoms and need no treatment. However, when stones block the bile ducts, they can cause pain and other problems. This blockage often leads to symptoms that require medical attention.

Testing and Treatment Options

Several tests can help diagnose gallstones:

• Ultrasound scans: This is the most common first test.
• Blood tests: These check for infection or inflammation.
• CT scans: These provide detailed images of the gallbladder.

Treatment depends on your symptoms:

1. Wait-and-see approach for stones without symptoms
2. Surgery (usually laparoscopic) to remove the gallbladder
3. Medication to dissolve stones (less common)

If gallstones cause symptoms, doctors usually recommend removing the gallbladder. This surgery is common and most people do well without their gallbladder, as the body adapts to the change.

Signs and Symptoms

Gallstones often produce no symptoms at all. However, when a gallstone blocks a duct, several symptoms may appear:

• Sharp, quickly worsening pain in the upper right abdomen
• Intense pain in the center of the abdomen below the breastbone
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Right shoulder pain
• Feeling sick or throwing up

Pain from gallstones typically lasts anywhere from several minutes to a few hours. If you experience these symptoms, especially recurring abdominal pain, it’s important to seek medical advice.

When to See a Doctor

If you notice any concerning symptoms related to gallstones, schedule a doctor’s appointment. Don’t wait to get help.

Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:

• Severe abdominal pain that prevents you from getting comfortable
• Yellowing skin or eyes (jaundice)
• High fever with chills

These symptoms may indicate serious complications that require urgent treatment. Don’t ignore these warning signs as they could signal a potentially dangerous situation.

Why Gallstones Form

Gallstones develop when substances in bile harden into solid pieces. While doctors aren’t completely sure why this happens, several factors likely play important roles in their formation.

When your liver makes too much cholesterol, more than your bile can dissolve, the extra cholesterol may form crystals. Over time, these crystals can grow into stones. This happens because the balance of chemicals in your bile that normally keep cholesterol dissolved isn’t working properly.

Too much bilirubin in your bile can also lead to gallstones. Your body makes bilirubin when it breaks down red blood cells. Certain health problems like liver disease, infections in the bile ducts, or blood disorders can cause your body to produce excess bilirubin.

Another possible cause is poor gallbladder emptying. If your gallbladder doesn’t empty fully or often enough, bile becomes very concentrated. This thick bile creates an environment where stones can easily form.

Different Types of Gallstones

Gallstones come in two main types:

Cholesterol gallstones:

• Most common type (about 80% of cases)
• Often yellow in color
• Made mostly of hardened cholesterol
• May contain other substances mixed in

Pigment gallstones:

• Dark brown or black in appearance
• Form when bile contains too much bilirubin
• Less common than cholesterol stones
• Often associated with certain medical conditions

Risk Factors

Several factors can increase your chance of developing gallstones:

Personal traits:

• Female gender
• Age over 40
• Native American heritage
• Mexican Hispanic background
• Family history of gallstones

Health conditions:

• Overweight or obesity
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• Blood disorders (sickle cell anemia, leukemia)

Lifestyle factors:

• Lack of physical activity
• High-fat diet
• High-cholesterol diet
• Low-fiber diet
• Rapid weight loss

Other factors:

• Pregnancy
• Medications containing estrogen (birth control pills, hormone therapy)

Possible Problems

Gallstones can lead to several health issues if not treated properly:

Gallbladder inflammation: When a gallstone gets stuck in the gallbladder neck, it can cause cholecystitis. This painful condition brings severe discomfort and fever.

Bile duct blockage: Gallstones may block the tubes carrying bile from your gallbladder or liver to your small intestine. This blockage can result in:

• Intense pain
• Yellowing of skin (jaundice)
• Infection in the bile ducts

Pancreatic duct obstruction: The pancreatic duct connects to the bile duct before entering the small intestine. If a gallstone blocks this pathway:

• Pancreatic juices can’t flow properly
• Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation) may develop
• Hospital care is often needed for the constant, severe pain

Cancer risk: People with gallstone history have a slightly higher chance of developing gallbladder cancer. This is still very rare, so while the risk increases, the actual likelihood remains quite small.

Early treatment can help prevent these complications from developing or becoming serious health threats.

Ways to Lower Your Risk

You can take several steps to reduce the chance of getting gallstones. These practical changes may help protect your gallbladder health.

Regular Meals

Eat at consistent times each day. When you skip meals or go without food for long periods, you increase your risk of developing gallstones.

Gradual Weight Loss

If you need to lose weight, do it slowly. Aim for 1-2 pounds per week. Quick weight loss programs can actually trigger gallstone formation.

Fiber-Rich Diet

Add more high-fiber foods to your meals, including:

• Fresh fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grain breads and cereals

Healthy Weight Management

Being overweight significantly raises your risk of gallstones. Work toward a healthy weight by reducing calories and increasing physical activity. Once you achieve a healthy weight, make sure to maintain it.

These simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference in protecting your gallbladder health over time.