Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. The same goes for cholecystitis. Prevention of gallbladder inflammation does not require the implementation of complex and supernatural actions. All you need is to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right and do not forget about physical activity.
Why does the disease develop?
The issues of treatment and prevention of cholecystitis every year do not lose their relevance. For this pathological process, disturbances in the outflow of bile are characteristic. The disease is common among adult patients, and according to statistics, the fairer sex suffer from it much more often than men. Experts attribute the predisposition of women to gallbladder inflammation with frequent fluctuations in the hormonal background caused by oral contraceptives, pregnancy, and the menstrual cycle.
Regardless of the form in which cholecystitis occurs, the prevention of the disease and therapeutic measures should be considered at the first alarming calls. The disease can occur in acute and chronic form. Acute cholecystitis has several stages of development:
- catarrhal;
- gangrenous;
- phlegmonous.
The chronic form of the disease has a recurrent ulcer-purulent character, and sometimes the disease proceeds latently. Of particular note is the need for the prevention of chronic calculous cholecystitis, which is characterized by the formation of calculi within the gallbladder.
Where to start therapy
In most cases, patients with symptoms of acute cholecystitis are hospitalized. Treatment in a specialized medical facility is also required for chronically ill patients during an exacerbation of the disease. If it proceeds in a purulent or gangrenous form, the decision about emergency surgical intervention is inevitable. You can not delay the operation, since in this state a person is in real danger.
The basis for the treatment of recurrent chronic cholecystitis is bed rest and a strict diet. The patient’s nutrition needs radical adjustment: in case of severe exacerbation, hunger or fasting days are recommended, but as soon as the patient’s condition stabilizes, he is assigned “Table No. 5” according to the principle of fractional food intake.
What medications help with acute cholecystitis
The use of drugs is aimed at eliminating the infection, relieving discomfort, painful spasms of the biliary tract, which prevent the full outflow of bile. Thanks to medicines, it is possible to prevent the development of cirrhosis and improve the functional state of the liver.
In order to inhibit the activity of pathogenic microflora against the background of stagnant processes, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. As a rule, the choice of antibiotic group depends on the individual sensitivity of the bile microorganisms, but tetracycline and cephalosporin preparations are most often used, including:
- "Terramycin";
- "Biomycin";
- “Syntomycin”;
- Chloramphenicol.
Penicillins with inflammation of the gallbladder are ineffective. It is prescribed mainly for primary and secondary prophylaxis of chronic cholecystitis, but only if the coccal flora found as a result of the tests demonstrates a strong sensitivity to it. Antibiotics are taken by patients for 1-2 weeks. With prolonged treatment with antibacterial drugs, patients are prescribed "Nystatin" and vitamin-mineral complexes.
Along with antibiotics, medicines are prescribed that have a choleretic effect. Such preparations contain bile acids, which trigger the process of removing stagnant bile from the bladder. Among them the most popular:
- Hologon;
- "Allohol";
- "Cholenzym";
- "Oxafenamide";
- Nicodine
- "Berberine."
“Urotropin” and “Sodium salicylate” have a similar property. To eliminate dyskinesias and eliminate spasms, derivatives of Atropine, Platifillin, Papaverine and anticholinergics, including Arpenal and Gangleron, are used. In case of intense pain, perinephral blockade with Novocaine is recommended, as well as injection of a solution of this drug at the site of pain localization.
Physiotherapy and surgery
For the prevention of chronic cholecystitis, the method of duodenal sounding can be used. In acute inflammation of the gallbladder, the patient is recommended to take a course consisting of 8-12 procedures. After each treatment session, a one-day break is required. If the patient's condition leaves much to be desired, it is recommended to start a course of physiotherapy with probeless soundings. Such procedures are also called "blind." They are carried out as follows: the patient drinks 50-60 ml of a liquid solution of magnesium sulfate before eating, after which it is placed on the right side for a couple of hours, placing a heating pad under the liver.
If medical treatment and physiotherapy do not bring results, and the patient's condition worsens, the only way to help the patient is through surgery. The operation can be prescribed with frequent relapses of the disease, the detection of calculi in the gallbladder. The most common method of surgical treatment is cholecystectomy. With a complicated course of the disease and contraindications to the removal of the inflamed organ, doctors often decide to impose an external fistula on the gallbladder, with the help of which the outflow of pus and excess bile is carried out. Throughout the rehabilitation period, special attention should be paid to the prevention of pneumonia, cardiac and hepatic-renal failure.
In some cases, surgery is also recommended for catarrhal cholecystitis. Primary prevention of this disease will help avoid cholecystectomy. With catarrhal inflammation of the gallbladder in a predominant number of non-operated patients, the development of chronic cholecystitis is inevitable. But the situation is complicated by the fact that the liver is involved in the pathological process.
If in acute cholecystitis the patient refuses the operation, he is strictly shown bed rest, preferably abstinence from eating food in the coming days. Antibiotics and choleretic drugs are also prescribed.
Is prevention of cholecystitis necessary
With pancreatitis, gastritis and duodenitis, as well as with cholecystitis, it is extremely important to prevent exacerbations. The main goal of preventive measures is to maintain a normal outflow of bile and prevent its stagnation. The advantage of the prevention of cholecystitis (in the memos of hospitals given enough attention to this issue) is its ability to stop not only the inflammatory process of the gallbladder, but also prevent the development of diseases of the digestive system.
To prevent the problem, first of all, it is necessary to exclude all factors that contribute to the formation of calculi in the gallbladder. You should start by adjusting your diet and determining a clear meal schedule. An equally important aspect is getting rid of excess weight, therefore, the fundamental measures for the prevention of chronic cholecystitis are aimed at stabilizing body weight.
Drugs to protect the liver
When conducting discussions with patients about the prevention of cholecystitis, doctors should inform patients about the need for hepatoprotectors. The composition of such medicines contains special components that protect liver cells, creating them kind of barriers, and restore the functionality of the organ. Among the hepatoprotectors that are prescribed to prevent cholecystitis, it is worth noting:
- Ursosan
- Gepabene;
- "Carsil";
- "Galstena";
- Ursofalk;
- "Liv52";
- Heptral;
- Hofitol;
- "Ovesol";
- Essential Forte;
- "Phosphogliv".
The intake of medicines should be agreed with the attending physician, since independent prophylaxis with hepatoprotectors is contraindicated because of the likelihood of side effects.
Simple Disease Prevention Methods
Prevention of acute cholecystitis is called primary. In order to prevent inflammation of the gallbladder, it is first of all important to lead a healthy lifestyle. Primary prevention of cholecystitis involves:
- annual visits to the gastroenterologist;
- control over the course of the disease;
- timely treatment of acute inflammation of the gallbladder;
- regular exercises in therapeutic gymnastics, which contributes to the separation of bile;
- rejection of bad habits;
- elimination of chronic foci of infection in the oral, nasopharyngeal cavity, treatment of helminthic invasions.
Physiotherapy
Surprisingly, few people know that it is possible to prevent the development of the disease with the help of simple sports exercises. Therapeutic gymnastics is an excellent method for primary and secondary prevention of cholecystitis. Special exercises must be performed daily, without missing a single day. The ideal time for classes is morning.
As a warm-up, the patient needs to go for a walk or swim in the pool. After that, you can proceed to the main part of the training. In chronic cholecystitis, it is recommended to regularly perform the following set of exercises to help prevent relapse:
- Exercise 1. In the supine position, connect the feet, resting on the toe. Freeze in this position for a few seconds and hold your breath, then exhale and relax. Repeat 8-10 times in a row.
- Exercise 2. The starting position is the same. Stretch your arms at the seams, the hands should be lowered down, and the chin should rest on the floor. In this case, you need to grab the ankles, inhale and hold your breath, and then bend your knees. It is important to ensure that the head with the chest rises above the surface as high as possible.
- Exercise 3. Stand in the knee-elbow position, lean your head back. Next, you need to raise each thigh in turn until the moment you exhale.
- Exercise 4. In the same position, swinging back and forth and inhaling, exhaling, bend and unbend your legs at the knees.
A set of exercises is recommended to be repeated three times a day. An active lifestyle can act as a prophylaxis of acute cholecystitis. Sedentary work and lack of movement contributes to the development of congestion in the body. Thanks to walking, you can minimize the risk of gallstones forming, get rid of extra pounds.
By the way, the fight against overweight is an important condition for the prevention of cholecystitis. It is worth considering that weight loss should occur gradually, in stages, since a sharp one can produce the opposite effect and activate stone formation. The optimal rate of weight loss is the loss of one kilogram of excess weight per week.
Food
Prevention and treatment of cholecystitis is not complete without following diets, which are based on the principles of healthy eating. Since an unbalanced daily diet is one of the unfavorable factors, it is extremely important to make appropriate adjustments to it.
In acute cholecystitis, the patient requires hospitalization and constant monitoring by a therapist and gastroenterologist. In the first two to three days of treatment, only a plentiful warm drink is recommended. It is allowed to drink weak tea, juices diluted with water, still mineral water. For the treatment of acute cholecystitis, the patient's menu should be based on mashed soups, easily digestible cereals without butter, mashed boiled or steam chicken meat. The number of meals during the day should not be less than five. It is important that the weight of each serving does not exceed 150-200 g. In acute cholecystitis, the use of salty, fatty, fried foods, salted and pepper foods is unacceptable. Strongly prohibited alcoholic beverages.
Many memos on the prevention of chronic cholecystitis contain a list of products that can cause exacerbation. At the same time, it is worthwhile to understand that it is always impossible to adhere to a diet, the diet should be balanced and complete. After the aggravation has passed, the menu gradually expands. It is supplemented with products that improve the outflow of bile and lower blood cholesterol. These include:
- low-fat dairy products (kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt);
- olive oil;
- buckwheat, oatmeal "Hercules";
- bran bread;
- fresh vegetables, fruits and berries (especially apples, pears, avocados, cucumbers, pumpkin, gooseberries);
For some patients, in order to provoke a deterioration in their health condition and cause a relapse of the disease, it is enough to use one of the following list once:
- fatty meat (pork, lamb, ducklings, goose);
- cream cakes, chocolate;
- smoked meats;
- mayonnaise, tomato sauces;
- raw onions;
- sorrel;
- radish.
For the purpose of secondary prevention of cholecystitis, it is advisable to forever abandon coffee, strong teas and alcohol. In uncomplicated cases, patients who are attentive to their diet manage to keep the disease under control without supportive drug therapy.
Useful alkaline water
Another effective way to prevent cholecystitis is the systematic intake of mineral waters. They are consumed for a month every six months or more often. Despite the safety of such a drink, it is advisable to consult a doctor before the course of treatment to avoid side effects or negative effects on other organs of the digestive system. It is recommended to drink one glass three times a day:
- Essentuki
- Smirnovskaya
- "Narzan";
- Borjomi
- "Slavyanovskaya";
- Novo-Izhevsk;
- "Naftusyu."
Doctors advise warming up and releasing gas slightly before drinking. It is advisable to drink on an empty stomach or an hour before a meal.
During remission, it is advisable for a patient with chronic cholecystitis to undergo sanatorium-resort preventive treatment in Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Borjomi, Jermuk, Truskavets, Morshyn, Karlovy Vary, and in the absence of such an opportunity, in local gastroenterological sanatoriums. There, patients undergo thermal physiotherapy (UHF, paraffin, mud, ozocerite applications on the liver area), as well as radon and hydrogen sulfide baths of low concentration.
Folk remedies
Prevention of cholecystitis, however, as well as the treatment of chronic inflammation of the gallbladder, may include the use of non-traditional drugs. Using folk recipes, it is impossible to cure pathology, but at the same time their action is aimed at eliminating dyspeptic disorders caused by difficulties in the outflow of bile, problems with its production, and malfunctions in the digestion process. Recommendations for the use of this or that remedy should be given only by a qualified specialist, since some drugs are suitable for cholecystitis, and others for cholelithiasis.
- Herbal fees. In equal proportions, buckthorn bark, peppermint leaves and burdock roots are mixed. The plant mixture needs to be crushed and an infusion prepared from it. 5 cups boiling water use 5 tbsp. l raw materials. The medicinal drink should be allowed to infuse, after which it is good to strain and drink 100 ml in the morning and evening before meals.
- Another option for herbal gathering involves the use of knotweed grass, immortelle flowers, chamomile and lingonberry leaves. To prepare the drink, use half a glass of dry mixture, which is poured with a liter of boiling water and covered with a lid. The medicine will be infused for 4-6 hours. Strained and diluted with boiled water, herbal tea is taken in a half glass every morning on an empty stomach.
- Decoction of corn stigmas. Such a drink helps to improve liver function and stimulates the outflow of bile, stabilizes metabolic processes, which subsequently helps to get rid of extra pounds. One tablespoon of dry stigmas is steamed in a glass of boiling water, covered with a lid and insisted for an hour. A filtered drink is consumed in several sips every 2-3 hours.