| Gallstones are small, pebble-like substances that | | | | fatty or greasy meal. |
| develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, | | | | Blockage of the cystic duct is a common |
| pear-shaped sac located below your liver in the | | | | complication. Gallstones that become lodged in the |
| right upper abdomen. Gallstones form when liquid | | | | cystic duct and block the flow of bile cause |
| stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of | | | | cholecystitis, an inflammation of the |
| stone-like material. The liquid-called bile-helps the | | | | gallbladder.Fever and pain, if the gall bladder or bile |
| body digest fats. Bile is made in the liver, then | | | | duct becomes infected. |
| stored in the gallbladder until the body needs it. | | | | Causes of Gallstones |
| The gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into | | | | Gallstones occur when bile forms solid particles |
| a tube-called the common bile duct-that carries it | | | | (stones) in the gallbladder. |
| to the small intestine, where it helps with digestion. | | | | The stones form when the amount of cholesterol |
| Gallstones are lumps of solid material that form in | | | | or bilirubin in the bile is high. |
| the gall bladder. Most are the size of peas, but | | | | Other substances in the bile may promote the |
| they can be as large as pebbles. Gallstones can be | | | | formation of stones. |
| found in the gall bladder itself or in the bile duct | | | | Pigment stones form most often in people with |
| that connects the gall bladder to the small | | | | liver disease or blood disease, who have high |
| intestine. | | | | levels of bilirubin. |
| Most gallstones are made of cholesterol and bile | | | | Estrogen. Excess estrogen from pregnancy, |
| pigments. Some gallstones, however, are just | | | | hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills |
| made of cholesterol and some are made of bile | | | | appears to increase cholesterol levels in bile and |
| pigment. | | | | decrease gallbladder movement, both of which |
| Gallstones usually form in the gallbladder; however, | | | | can lead to gallstones. |
| they also may form anywhere there is bile--in the | | | | Poor muscle tone may keep the gallbladder from |
| intrahepatic, hepatic, common bile, and cystic | | | | emptying completely. The presence of residual bile |
| ducts. Gallstones also may move about within bile, | | | | may promote the formation of gallstones. |
| for example, from the gallbladder into the cystic | | | | Gallstones may be caused by a combination of |
| or common duct. | | | | factors, including inherited body chemistry, body |
| Symptoms of gallstones | | | | weight, gallbladder motility (movement), and |
| Gall stones can cause symptoms such as GALL | | | | perhaps diet. |
| BLADDER ATTACK, gall bladder problems and gall | | | | Cholesterol gallstones are made primarily of |
| bladder pain. | | | | cholesterol. They are the most common type of |
| Attacks may occur every few days, weeks, or | | | | gallstone, comprising 80% of gallstones in |
| months; they may even be separated by years. | | | | individuals from Europe and the Americas. |
| Symptoms of gallstones generally appear when | | | | Cholesterol is one of the substances that liver |
| the stone has become lodged in one of the ducts | | | | cells secrete into bile. (Secretion of cholesterol into |
| that carry the bile to and from the gallbladder. | | | | bile is an important way in which the liver |
| The most common symptom is a recurrent | | | | eliminates excess cholesterol from the body.) In |
| attack of pain in the upper abdomen or the back, | | | | order for bile to carry cholesterol, the cholesterol |
| known as biliary colic. These attacks often happen | | | | must be dissolved in the bile. |
| after a fatty meal. | | | | Read about Home Remedies and Shilajit. |
| The pain usually starts within 30 minutes after a | | | | |