Nausea and pain in the upper abdomen are periodically noted in many people. Often, these symptoms indicate the development of inflammation in the digestive tract. Unpleasant sensations in such cases are almost always associated with the use of certain products. Pain and nausea may indicate a tightening of the gallbladder tissue. Despite the fact that this organ is small, the symptoms of its inflammation are very pronounced. Are women more often diagnosed with compaction of the walls of the gallbladder? What is it and why does it arise? It is worth noting what functions this body performs. It serves as a container for bile. During the digestion of food, this biological fluid is released into the lumen of the duodenum. This is accompanied by a contraction of the gallbladder. Sealing the walls of the organ leads to a violation of its main function. As a result, bile stagnates (cholestasis), and the digestion process slows down. In addition, the organ can significantly increase in size, which leads to the appearance of pain.
Why does the gallbladder wall seal?
The tissue that makes up the organ cannot be compressed for no reason. Various adverse factors lead to this, which can be either exo- or endogenous. Sealing of the gallbladder wall occurs for the following reasons:
- Chronic organ inflammation - cholecystitis. This disease is considered one of the most common diseases of the digestive system. As you know, the inflammatory process causes edema and hyperemia of the walls of the organ, and the permeability of small vessels increases. Chronic cholecystitis is characterized by phases of exacerbations and remissions. As a result of this, swelling of the walls is replaced by increased growth of connective tissue, which, in turn, is fraught with the development of organ densification and adhesions in the gallbladder.
- Calculous cholecystitis. In addition to the chronic inflammatory process, this pathology is accompanied by the formation of stones in the lumen of the organ. Calculi prevent the evacuation of bile.
- Congenital organ deformities. In many people, the study is diagnosed with kink and other changes in the configuration of the gallbladder. Improper structure contributes to the development of cholestasis. And he, in turn, causes chronic inflammation and compaction of the walls.
- Excessive consumption of difficult to digest food. This refers to a large number of fatty, bitter, salty foods.
- Digestive diseases. Chronic hepatitis and pancreatitis are often combined with gallbladder inflammation.
- Heart failure. Long-term cardiological pathologies lead to the formation of edema both on the skin and in the internal organs.
- Polyps and other neoplasms. The growth of organ tissue is always accompanied by a densification of its walls.
All these reasons must be considered in order to cure chronic cholecystitis. Deformation and compaction of the walls of the gallbladder are dangerous development of unpleasant consequences. Among them - inflammation of other organs of the digestive tract, digestive disorders.
Symptoms of tissue compaction
Sealing the wall of the gallbladder does not appear externally. Therefore, if you suspect this process, it is necessary to undergo an examination, in particular an ultrasound scan. Manifestations of the disease are not always expressed, but only during an exacerbation of inflammation of the organ. At the same time, symptoms such as nausea, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth, pain in the right abdomen, and general weakness are noted. During remission, these signs are absent. However, after eating fatty and difficult to digest food, discomfort occurs again.
Nausea and bitterness in the mouth during exacerbation are not always associated with food. Often patients complain of discomfort in the morning, before bedtime. After eating, the symptoms intensify. Vomiting of bile is sometimes noted.
Physical examination for cholecystitis
Having seen the conclusion of an ultrasound examination, patients become interested in the question: what does the compaction of the walls of the gallbladder mean? It is worth noting that under these words is meant a morphological change in the organ. Wall compaction is not an independent diagnosis. This symptom is detected during an instrumental examination. This symptom almost always means that the patient has chronic inflammation of the gallbladder.
However, the doctor must verify this. For this purpose, a physical examination is performed. Specific signs of cholecystitis include:
- Soreness with pressure on the area of the bladder (Kera symptom).
- Increased discomfort during palpation during inspiration.
- Pain when striking the right costal arch (Murphy symptom).
All these signs are detected in both acute and chronic cholecystitis. Therefore, to find out if there is a compaction of the walls of the organ, an ultrasound scan is performed.
Diagnosis of gallbladder disease
Signs of compaction of the walls of the gallbladder are indications for diagnostic procedures. The laboratory features of chronic cholecystitis include: increased AST and ALT. The level of these enzymes increases with stagnation of bile in the ducts. During an exacerbation, leukocytosis and an acceleration of ESR in the blood test are noted.
The thickness of the walls of the organ should not exceed 5 mm. An increase in this indicator indicates the presence of a chronic inflammatory process. Also, when the walls are densified, a change in the echo density of the body contours is noted.
In addition to ultrasound, computed tomography of the abdominal cavity, radiography are performed . In some cases, special invasive studies are required. Among them is retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
Sealing the walls of the gallbladder: treatment of pathology
The treatment of cholecystitis is based on diet therapy, the use of medications. With calculous inflammation, an operation is performed - an ectomy of the gallbladder. The drugs that improve the outflow of bile include the medicines “Allohol”, “Holosas”, “Ursosan”. With exacerbation, antibiotics are prescribed. To reduce the spasm of the muscles of the organ and relieve pain, the drug "No-spa" is used.
Proper nutrition for cholecystitis
When compaction of the walls of the body, you must constantly follow a diet. In order not to cause exacerbations, it is necessary to exclude smoked and too salty foods, fatty dishes from the diet. It is also undesirable to eat vegetables that irritate the mucous membrane of the body (radish, radish). Patients are advised to prepare meals from lean meats and fish. Patients benefit from dairy products, cereals, vegetable and fruit purees, soups.
Consequences of organ wall compaction
What can cause gallbladder wall compaction? If the disease is not treated, complications arise. Frequent exacerbations lead to increased compaction of organ tissues. As a result, adhesions are formed in the gallbladder. Chronic cholecystitis is dangerous for the spread of the inflammatory process. This leads to the emergence of other pathologies - hepatitis, gastroduodenitis, pancreatitis. Stones in the lumen of the organ can cause perforation, peritonitis.
Prevention of organ wall compaction
In order not to seal the walls of the gallbladder, it is necessary to prevent the development of chronic pathology. To do this, it is recommended to eat right (do not abuse fatty, spicy foods). In the presence of helminthic invasion, parasites should be eliminated, since they often colonize the bile and hepatic ducts. Patients with abnormalities of the organ are required to be examined at least 1 time per year.