Gallstone disease: symptoms and treatment

Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis), also known as cholelithiasis, is a serious pathology characterized by the formation of gallstones and ducts of stones (calculi). This is a common, complex developing disease, which in the first 5-10 years does not manifest itself at all.

What to do? How to detect it? Are there any specific symptoms? How to treat it and what are the forecasts? Well, there are many questions and all are relevant. So now it’s worth giving answers to them.

Etiology

Gallstone disease, like many other pathologies, is not well understood. Modern doctors know only about some factors of exogenous and endogenous nature, which increase the likelihood of its formation.

According to statistics, women get cholelithiasis on average 3-5 times more often than men. As a rule, most often, stones begin to form in ladies who have given birth to several children.

Scientists also argue that people with a picnic physique (full) are prone to this disease. Approximately 2/3 of people suffering from cholelithiasis are overweight.

In addition, congenital anomalies are a provoking factor, because of which the outflow of bile is difficult. These include hepatic choledocho cyst, stenosis, duodenal diverticulum, etc. Of the acquired diseases, the risk of formation of cholelithiasis increases liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis.

Even doctors assure that nutrition plays an important role. Most often, cholelithiasis is formed in people who consume food with a high content of animal proteins and fats.

Types of Gallstones

These specific neoplasms have a classification. And before proceeding to the consideration of the symptoms and treatment of gallstone disease, it is worth examining it. So, there are the following types of calculi:

• Cholesterol. Meet most often. Cholesterol not processed by the body makes up either the majority of them, or all of them. They are soft, large, crumble easily, have a layered structure.
• Black pigment stones. It occurs in 10-25% of cases among residents of the United States and Europe, but in Asia this figure is much higher. They are small and fragile. They consist of calcium bilirubinate or its polymer-like compounds with impurities of mucin-glycoproteins and copper. They have absolutely no cholesterol. Usually found in people with cirrhosis and chronic hemolytic conditions. Often migrate to the bile ducts.
• Brown pigment stones. They consist of calcium salts with impurities of protein, cholesterol and a small amount of bacterial cytoskeletons. They are formed both in the bladder itself and in the ducts.

Pigment stones are formed due to a violation of acidification. Bile is oversaturated with calcium phosphate and carbonate, due to which bilirubin precipitates and forms stones. But, by the way, people with black pigment calculi have no problems with the motor function of the gallbladder.

Symptoms

As already mentioned at the very beginning, the process of development of the cholelithiasis lasts a very long time. 5-10 years may elapse from the moment the formation of stones begins to the primary signs of manifestation.

The fact is that stones do not bother a person at all. Pain can manifest itself only if stones enter the bile ducts. They will be injured because of this, and a person, of course, will feel unpleasant sensations.

But in general, the following symptoms are attributed to the first symptoms of gallstone disease:

• Inflammation of the oral mucosa.
• The appearance of yellowness of the skin.
• Inflammation of the connective tissue of the eyeball.
• Unpleasant sensations in the right hypochondrium, manifested by colic. This is due to the fact that the stone moves along the bile ducts.
• Frequent burping, not passing feeling of nausea and heaviness in the stomach, occurring even after eating light food.
• Bitterness in the mouth.

Then other signs begin to show themselves:

• Hepatic and biliary colic. Pain occurs in the right hypochondrium and is given to the neck, sternum, forearm, lower back, arms and shoulder blade. They are especially felt after eating fatty, fried, spicy, salty and spicy. Also a provoking factor is alcohol, stress, body shake and physical activity.
• Vomiting, often with bile. It’s not easier for a person after it.
• Diarrhea or constipation, bloating.
• Great malaise and weakness.

Symptoms of cholelithiasis also include increased sweating and fever (37-38.5 ° C), colorless feces, cramps and dull pain in the liver.

Complications

If you do not pay attention to an attack of gallstone disease in time, then you can pay for it. The complications are serious, and here is what they most often manifest:

• Cholecystitis. This is an inflammation of the gallbladder, manifested by constant pain in the upper right abdomen and fever. With cholecystitis, the bile duct is very clogged. There is a risk of the occurrence and development of dangerous infections.
• Cholangitis. This is an inflammation of the bile ducts. It occurs due to the penetration of infections directly from the bladder, blood vessels and intestines. It manifests itself in elevated temperature and an increased number of white blood cells. May cause liver abscess or sepsis.
• Acute biliary pancreatitis. Pancreatic disease by running which can lead to death. It appears in a foamy porridge stool, severe pain in the upper abdomen, dehydration and severe weakness.
• Fistulas. These are unnatural channels that form between organs. Manifested by severe pain and digestive disorders.
• Peritonitis. This is called inflammation of the serous cover of the abdominal cavity, which manifests itself in a general deterioration in the condition of the whole organism.
• Toxic hepatitis. A serious inflammatory disease of the liver, manifested by symptoms of intoxication. Specific symptoms include dark urine, sudden pain in the right hypochondrium, nosebleeds.

The most severe consequence of gallstone disease of the gallbladder is cancer of the digestive tract.

Aggravation

An exacerbation of gallstone disease, as a rule, manifests itself in dyspeptic syndrome. That is, in a functional violation of intestinal digestion, which is accompanied by belching, nausea, vomiting, bloating, a feeling of heaviness, as well as powerful pains in the epigastric region and discomfort in the intestines.

Clinical manifestations with exacerbation of gallstone disease depend on the development of complications and on the presence or absence of obstruction of the ducts.

The latter case is especially dangerous. Since blockage usually leads to dropsy, and this is accompanied by terrible pain. Also, an infection usually joins this disease, as a result of which not only the general condition of the patient worsens, but also the composition of the blood changes. In such cases, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and leukocytosis is observed. So it’s better to respond to pain with gallstone disease and not be afraid of treatment, otherwise the consequences can be disastrous.

Stagnation of bile

A few words should also be said about this phenomenon. After all, it often becomes the cause of gallstone disease of the gallbladder.

Stagnation, of course, contributes to a sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy, excessive fullness, as well as clothing that compresses the liver or restricts the movement of the diaphragm. All this affects the bending of the bile ducts.

When stagnation occurs, in addition to the formation of cholelithiasis, the following consequences also arise:

• Decreased activity of the intestinal lipase enzyme.
• Defective breakdown of fats and their entry into the blood, as a result of which the transformation of glucose into glycogen is difficult. This, by the way, is fraught with the development of diabetes.
• Reducing the amount of cholesterol excreted from the body. It not only forms the notorious stones, but also accelerates the development of atherosclerosis and provokes hypercholesterolemia.
• Inflammation of the gallbladder, the appearance of acute and chronic cholecystitis.
• Gastritis.
• Sclerosing cholangitis.
• Increased intestinal acidity.
• Focal necrosis of the parenchyma.

In the end, an attack of gallstone disease is not the worst consequence. If stagnation occurs, the toxicity of conjugated metabolic products increases significantly. The body is simply poisoning.

Operation - Solving a Problem

Let this be a radical method, but it’s the most effective one. With it, you can definitely get rid of gallstone disease. The operation is aimed at removing the reservoir for calculi and eliminating the likelihood of repeated colic.

It can also be used to prevent the occurrence of such effects as peritonitis, cholangiogenic sepsis, and obstructive jaundice. The operation is considered safe, and the chance of full recovery after its implementation reaches 95%. It is shown under the following conditions:

• The diameter of the stones exceeds 1 cm.
• There is not one stone - there are many of them.
• The stones are formed by bilirubin salts and salts or are of mixed origin.
• The gall bladder is “off”.
• The location of calculi threatens to quickly block the ducts.
• A person suffers from diabetes.
• The patient was diagnosed with a “porcelain” gall bladder - its walls seem to be inlaid with calcium salts.

With gallstone disease and stones in the bladder, surgery can be performed in two ways.

The first is abdominal. A person is given general anesthesia and a large incision is made on the front wall of the abdomen. So the surgeons get the opportunity to feel and examine all the ways to remove bile, to do radiography and ultrasound.

The second is laparoscopic. Several small incisions are made on the abdomen wall, and the course of the intervention is monitored through a fiber optic device connected to the monitor. However, there are a lot of contraindications. However, the doctor will still determine the method of operation, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the patient.

Diet

Each patient must observe a special diet for cholelithiasis. The doctor prescribes detailed recommendations, but here are some foods you definitely need to exclude from the diet:

• Butter dough and white bread.
• Fried pies.
• Smoked meats and sausages.
• Meat broths.
• Sour and unripe fruits, spinach, sorrel, parsley.
• Fatty dairy and meat products.
• Pasta.
• Soda, coffee, alcohol.

The diet for gallstone disease and stones in the bladder allows the use of the following products:

• White crackers and rye brown bread.
• Chicken eggs and butter.
• Fish and lean meats. These include river fish, chicken, beef and rabbit.
• Cereals: oat, wheat, buckwheat, rice, semolina.
• Weak tea without sugar, puddings, fruit compotes, mousses and jelly.

Is it possible with gallstone disease dairy products? Yes, but only low fat. Soups are allowed, but without meat and exclusively on vegetable broth. It must be remembered: everything fatty, heavy, salty, spicy and sharp provokes a contraction of the gall bladder and movement of stones. And this leads to obstruction of the ducts.

Drug treatment

It can be effective for cholelithiasis, but only if the patency of the cystic duct and its contractile ability are preserved, and the size of the stones is less than 15 mm. As a rule, the doctor prescribes such drugs:

• "Allohol." A choleretic drug, which is based on natural components - activated carbon, garlic, nettle. It has an extensive effect - it stimulates the production of bile acids, eliminates stagnation and intoxication, and relieves inflammation of the bladder and ducts.
• "Urolesan". The composition includes oil of spruce and mint, an extract of hop cones and fruits of wild carrots. Increases the production of bile and stimulates its excretion.
• "Holosas". Its basis is sugar and rose hips. In addition to the effects listed above, it improves intestinal motility.
• "Berberine bisulfate." This is an alkaloid isolated from barberry leaves. The drug stimulates the outflow of bile.
• Flaming. The main component is the flowers of the immortelle sand. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects.
• "Holagol." The composition includes magnesium salicylate, eucalyptus and peppermint oil, as well as frangulamodine and turmeric root pigments. The drug not only stimulates the production and outflow of bile, but also disinfects it.

Each drug has contraindications. Treatment of cholelithiasis with their help can only begin if the doctor has allowed it.

Folk remedies

Most doctors are skeptical of them. With gallstone disease, especially in the advanced stages, folk remedies are unlikely to help. But as a prophylaxis, they can be useful. Here are some simple recipes:

• In equal amounts (1 tbsp. L. Each) mix immortelle sand, chamomile, corn stalks, fennel, dandelion, wormwood, calendula, tansy, peppermint and large celandine. 10 grams of the resulting collection pour a glass of boiling water and send for 15 minutes in a water bath. Then cool, strain and dilute with clean water to 200 ml. Drink the resulting volume per day in three divided doses (each time before meals). Cook this broth every day.
• Pour two tablespoons of dried birch leaves with a glass of boiling water and boil over low heat until half the water evaporates. Then cool and strain. Drink one dessert spoon three times a day an hour before meals. The course lasts 3 months.
• Seeds of carrots (3 tbsp. L.) Pour three glasses of water. Place at least 6 hours in the oven. This volume to drink in three doses per day.
• Make fresh juice of black radish. Mix in a ratio of 1: 1 with honey. Drink 3 tablespoons daily. It is recommended to stretch this volume into 3 doses - morning, afternoon and evening.
• Mix blackcurrant berries (fresh or frozen) and liquid honey thoroughly in equal proportions. It is advisable to beat the mass with a blender. Take once a day for a teaspoon half an hour before meals. The course is at least 2 months.
• 30 grams of fresh or frozen mountain ash pour three cups of boiling water. Let it brew for 10 minutes, then crush the berries and leave for some more time. Drink one glass three times a day.

Also, for cholelithiasis, it is recommended to drink such waters as Essentuki (No. 17 and No. 4), Borjomi, Smirnovskaya, and Slavyanovskaya. An excellent prophylaxis is an active lifestyle, rejection of cholesterol-containing foods and maintaining a normal body weight.