OUR SUCCESSFUL CASE DIARY
Gall Bladder Disease
What is the gall bladder?
The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ situated
directly under the liver in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.
What is the function of the gall bladder?
Its main function is to collect and concentrate the bile that the body uses to digest fats. Problems with the gall bladder and biliary system are very common and consist of
• Inflammation of the gall bladder and bile ducts.
• Muscular spasms and/or poor contraction of the gall bladder wall.
• Stones forming in the gall bladder and/or bile ducts.
• Obstruction to the free flow of bile The process of bile production is an 'expensive' biochemical process.
The body has developed the gall bladder to store bile that has been recovered from the bowel to be recycled - thus saving the liver from having to produce new batches. Therefore, the gall bladder is vitally important as it takes a lot of workload off the liver. If the gall bladder is diseased and dysfunctional - it is often due to the fact that the liver is under stress and is also dysfunctional. A dysfunctional liver will tend to produce toxic unhealthy bile.
What is bile?
Bile is a substance made in the liver cells (hepatocytes) consisting of water, electrolytes, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and bilirubin. It is a fat emulsifying agent helping to keep cholesterol levels in check. it also assists with absorption of certain nutrients, namely the fat soluble vitamins A, D,E and K.
What causes gall bladder problems ?
• Production of toxic bile by the liver.
• Inadequate production of bile by the liver.
• Sluggish flow of bile.
• Excess amounts of cholesterol in the bile resulting in stone formation.
• Infection of the gall bladder.
• Poor dietary choices with excess consumption of fatty foods, dairy products and fried foods.
• The hormonal changes of pregnancy.
• The oral contraceptive pill and some types of hormone replacement therapy.
• Some types of blood disorders You may be suffering with chronic infections because your immune system is weakened and over loaded. To reduce the workload of the immune system it is vital to improve the liver function.
What are the symptoms of gall bladder disease?
• Indigestion and nausea after eating (especially fatty foods).
• Vomiting attacks.
• Pain in the right upper abdomen, which often radiates to the right shoulder and back. What can I do to help prevent/treat gall bladder problems? To improve gall bladder problems, we must improve the quality of the bile, by improving the liver function.
What causes gallstones?
Sometimes crystals precipitate out of the bile to form gallstones. Generally speaking the gall bladder becomes diseased or dysfunctional because the liver is producing unhealthy bile. The bile is either toxic or contains excess amounts of fat and bacteria.
What are the symptoms of gallstones?
The majorities of gallstones stay in the gallbladder and cause no symptoms. However, if a stone moves it may obstruct the neck of the gall bladder or common bile duct giving rise to severe pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. A stone in the common bile duct will frequently cause jaundice. Jaundice is a condition in which the skin and the eyes become yellow due to accumulated bile pigment. Some people with large stones in the gall bladder will never have any problems.
