Gallbladder Symptoms and Natural Remedies

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located below your liver that helps primarily in the storage of bile.The size of the gallbladder depends on the presence or absent of food in the stomach.After the ingestion of food, bile is usually flat and small just like the size of a deflated balloon. Before food intake, the gallbladder increases in size due to the production of bile.

Ingestion of food sends a stimulatory signal to the gallbladder for production of bile which is necessary for the emulsification of fat. This bile produced by the gallbladder helps in fat digestion and emulsification.

The importance of gallbladder cannot be over-emphasized but a healthy individual can live without their gallbladder. Removing the gallbladder is not dangerous but could make a person prone to some gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and fat malabsorption.

Despite the fact that we can live without our gallbladder, there are different disease s and medical conditions related to the gallbladder.

Types of Gallbladder Disease

The gallbladder could be damaged or affected by various diseases due to infections, diet or lifestyle choices. The most common gallbladder disease includes:

  1. Gallstones: This is a type of disease that is medically called cholelithiasis (stones in the bile ducts)/. Harmless crystals in the bile duct can leads to the formation of gallstones in the long term, if not properly treated. The stones are usually harmless and painless but could lead to nausea, vomiting, and inflammation of the bile duct and gallbladder.
  2. Cholecystitis: This is an inflammation of the gallbladder that can occur due to infections or prolonged formation of gallstones in the bile duct. People suffering from cholecystitis often experience all the 5 cardinal signs of inflammation such as increased pain, increased temperature, swelling, loss of function, and change in color of the affected It is a disorder characterized by pain and fever of high temperature especially when there is are-infection.
  3. Cancer: cancer of the gallbladder is a rare carcinogenic condition that is difficult to diagnosed and often misdiagnosed as gallstones. This cancer is very dangerous because its sign and symptoms ar3 revealed later at the terminal stage.Most people suffering from cancer of the gallbladder have a poor prognosis due to late discovery of cancer.
  4. Gallstone pancreatitis: Blockage of the pancreatic duct by a gallstone could lead to inflammation of the pancreas. This condition often occurs as a result of prolonged or stagnated gallstones in humans.
  5. Obstruction: The common bile duct is one of the most frequently obstructed ducts in the body. It could be obstructed by stone which could lead to infection of the gallbladder
  6. Abscess: Abscess formation and empyema (formation of pus) in the gallbladder could occur due to infections in the It could disseminate to other parts of the body if left untreated.
  7. Gallstone Ileus: This is a disease common among geriatrics in which, gallstones travels from the gallbladder to the intestine hereby causing an obstruction.
  8. Perforated gallbladder: This is one of the common complications of untreated gallstone formation.
  9. Porcelain Gallbladder: This is a type of medical condition in which the muscular wall of the gallbladder is coated with calcium deposit. This disease predisposes people to carcinoma of the gallbladder.

 

Symptoms of Gallbladder Problem

There are different unique symptoms associated with problems arising from the gallbladder because of its function, composition, and location. The most common signs and symptoms include:

  1. Pain: Pain arising from the gallbladder is often located in the right upper quadrant and could radiate to other parts of the body such as the back and chest.
  2. Nausea and Vomiting: Gastrointestinal symptoms are one of the most common symptoms of gallbladder disease due to its function, location, and relationship with other friends.
  3. Fever and Chills: fever is often a pathognomonic sign of This is a common symptom of the gallbladder problems especially inflammatory-related disease such as cholecystitis.
  4. Chronic Diarrhea: Gallbladder is the organ responsible for fat Gallbladder problems could lead to fat malabsorption and chronic diarrhea.
  5. Jaundice: Bile duct obstruction could lead to yellowish discoloration of the skin and sclera in a condition called jaundice.
  6. Abnormal color of urine and feces: Bile duct obstruction often causes dark colored and light colored urine and feces.This discoloration in urine and feces is due to bile duct obstruction.

 

Natural Remedies for Treating Gallbladder Disease

There are different natural remedies for treating gallbladder diseases. These most common ones include:

  1. Apple cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar has a chloesterostatic effect on cholesterol production by the liver. Cholesterol is the building block of most types of gallstones. Apple cider vinegar is one of the best homemade a remedy for gallstone
  2. Lemon Juice: Lemon juice consists of pectin and vitamin c that enhances the solubility and excretion of It also reduce the production of cholesterol by the liver which is the building block for gallstone formation.
  3. Peppermint: The compound called Terpene found in peppermint helps in alleviating gallbladder pain and dissolving cholesterol stones.
  4. Vegetable Juice: gallstone patents are advised to eliminate fatty foods from their diet to speed up their recovery and healing process. Replacing these fatty foods with vegetable juice consisting of beetroots, carrots, and cucumber is a good natural remedy for gallstone. This combination is very effective because beetroots and cucumber help in strengthening and detoxifying the liver while carrot boosts the immune system.
  5. Psyllium: It serves as a great laxative and helps in preventing constipation and gastrointestinal Psyllium also serves as a competitive inhibitor with gallstone for cholesterol. It binds with cholesterol and reduces the chances of gallstone formation.
  6. Dandelion: The taxation found in dandelion serves as a great detoxifier and helps in enhancing bowel movement.

Gallbladder diseases can be prevented with a proper diet and an active lifestyle. Most gallbladder diseases are due to increased cholesterol formation which has been linked to obesity and sedentary lifestyle. There are various natural and home-made remedies for treating gallbladder diseases. Consult your nearest doctor for any unusual symptoms.

 

References

Dr. Axe. (2018). 5 Foods You Should Never Eat the Gallbladder Diet. [online] Available at: https://draxe.com/gallbladder-diet-natural-treatment/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].

Dr. Axe. (2018). 5 Natural Treatments for Gallstones – Dr. Axe. [online] Available at: https://draxe.com/gallstones/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].

Drdavidwilliams.com. (2018). My Natural Treatments and Remedies for a Bad Gallbladder. [online] Available at: https://www.drdavidwilliams.com/bad-gallbladder-natural-treatments [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].

Williams, D. (2018). My Natural Treatments and Remedies for a Bad Gallbladder. [online] Drdavidwilliams.com. Available at: https://www.drdavidwilliams.com/bad-gallbladder-natural-treatments [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].