What Are The Reasons For Gallbladder Attacks?
September 30th, 2010 by heart_health
A gallbladder attack is characterized by pain that may last several minutes or several hours. The pain can range from mild to severe. It is typically a symptom of a gallbladder problem or some form of gallbladder disease. It occurs when the gallbladder becomes inflamed for irritated for reasons that will be described below.
Medical professionals refer to a gallbladder attack as cholecystitis. The names biliary colic or biliary disease may also be applied.
To get an idea of why a gallbladder attack occurs, you need to understand how the gallbladder functions and the role it plays in digestion.
Your gallbladder is a hollow organ located near your liver, and it is approximately the shape of your thumb. It’s main function is to store bile, a substance produced by the liver. Bile breaks down the food you eat and helps make it easier to digest by the intestines. Bile plays an extremely important role in metabolizing cholesterol and other fats contained in your food. When too cholesterol accumulates in the gallbladder (often after a fatty, cholesterol-heavy meal), it sometimes becomes irritated and inflamed. This is what causes the pain of a gallbladder attack. Depending on how much cholesterol has built up, it can be hours before the gallbladder returns to normal Someone who eats a lot of fried foods is much more likely to have gallbladder attacks than someone who doesn’t.
Cholesterol and other substances in the gallbladder may even harden into pebble-like formations called gallstones. Gallstones can be as big as a golf ball. But they can also be so small they’re nearly invisible.
As mentioned previously, you may feel pain from a gallbladder attack in several places. Pain often occurs in the abdominal region, but some people also feel it in the right shoulder or the area between the shoulder blades.
Pain from a gallbladder attack can occur due to several other reasons too, For instance, there can be a blockage or obstruction biliary tract, which is the the path that transports bile to the small intestine. Gallbladder infections are also possible.
Pain in the areas just mentioned is the most typical symptom of a gallbladder attack. But there are other gallbladder attack symptoms, including:
* a fever may occur, along with chills
* there could be bowel irregularities, including diarrhea or constipation
* there may be some dizziness
* headache above the right eye
* stools will look noticeably lighter or slate-colored,
* some nausea or vomiting may take place
* there could be some stomach bloating and gas
Treatment for a gallbladder attack largely centers on the intensity of the pain and the exact cause of the problem. A person who has a sudden, intensely painful gallbladder attack may need to be hospitalized. Those who have chronic, recurring attacks may require hospitalization also.
Intravenous fluids and electrolytes may help, and the patient will probably not be allowed to have anything to eat or drink.
Fluids can build up in the intestines when you have gallbladder problems. Your doctor may place a tube through the nose and into the stomach to keep it empty. He or she may also order antibiotics.
When attacks recur, your doctor may consider gallbladder removal surgery. You can live without a gallbladder because your liver produces all the bile you need for digestion.
Gallbladder attacks will happen to some people no matter what they eat or how careful they are about their diet. This can be true for individuals with a family history of gallbladder problems. Nonetheless, everyone can reduce their risk by eating a healthy diet that includes more low cholesterol foods. Regular exercise also helps by clearing the system of excess fats and cholesterol.
(Editor’s note; The words “gallbladder attack” are sometimes spelled gall bladder attack by many individuals. There are also common mispellings, including galblader attack, gallblader attack, and even gullbladder attack.)
Click on causes and symptoms of gallbladder attacks and gallbladder removal to learn more about maintaining gallbladder health.
Neal Kennedy is a retired radio and television talk show host with a special interest in health and fitness.
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