Many are interested in what are calculi in the gallbladder. This disease, which was previously characteristic of mostly elderly people, has been significantly rejuvenated recently. This is facilitated by a large number of adverse factors. Almost every fifth person with gallstones does not reach 30 years.
The resulting stones can be different in location, size, chemical composition, as well as quantity.
Finding gallstones in stones is a rather unpleasant surprise for any person. Because of their presence, a person may develop gallstone disease, which raises the question of the advisability of consulting a doctor.
Causes of the appearance of stones
After you know what calculi in the gallbladder are, you should familiarize yourself with the causes. According to scientists, the process of formation of foreign inclusions in the gallbladder begins with a combination of such conditions:
- burdened heredity;
- fast weight loss;
- the presence in the bile of pigment and a large amount of cholesterol;
- predominantly female;
- the presence of an inflammatory process;
- rapid weight gain;
- the gall bladder loses its contractility, which is often accompanied by stagnation of bile;
- estrogen intake;
- cold climate;
- high-calorie diet with insufficient fiber;
- treatment with certain substances - octreotide, cyclosporine, clofibrate;
- previous operations;
- some human diseases: diabetes mellitus, Caroli syndrome, hemolytic anemia and Crohn's disease.
Signs of stone development
It is noteworthy that even large stones in some situations do not appear in any way, being an unpleasant find when performing an ultrasound or or x-ray examination.
But even the smallest stones can significantly complicate the patient’s life, causing the following unpleasant sensations:
- bouts of pain in the epigastric zone or hypochondrium on the right, which can sometimes be transmitted to the right clavicle and have a different severity;
- nausea and burping;
- taste of bitterness;
- excessive bloating.
In some cases, cholelithiasis can be completely atypical: atypical pain occurs behind the sternum and abdomen, as well as to the left of the chest. These signs can be confused with manifestations of heart and vascular diseases. Often, a person can independently note the connection of the symptoms of this disease with physical stress, shaking while riding, eating unhealthy, fried, too seasoned and oily foods.
Due to the prolonged presence of calculi in the bladder with bile, injury to the mucous membrane of this organ can occur, which can lead to the occurrence of calculous cholecystitis. This condition is accompanied by the manifestation of severe fatigue in the patient, high temperature and a decrease in appetite.
It is important to note that this is a non-infectious disease and patients are not dangerous to those around him.
Psychosomatics of the disease
Undoubtedly, each person knows expressions like: “From this person, bile rushing!”, “Bile man”, etc. And this is true - these statements fully describe the existing psychotype of a person subject to this ailment: he is easily irritated, rather angry and aggressive, prefers to enjoy his grudge.
This is a rather proud person, overly suspicious, who often projects different situations on himself. He does not know how to solve conflicts productively. In order to prevent the formation of calculi, it is necessary to get rid of your resentment, and also try to control attacks of anger and irritation.
Diagnosis of stone formation
An attack of biliary colic should be a symptom for an immediate medical examination, and even after treatment is completed in 70% of cases, stones can return again.
Improper treatment of calculi can cause very serious and dangerous complications, for example, suppuration in the gallbladder, the inflammatory process can go to the surrounding organs, there may be a blockage of the ducts of the gallbladder , scars in the ducts, and also cancer! Undoubtedly, these conditions will require emergency surgery.
Effective diagnostic procedures and studies that are suitable for detecting gallstones include:
- A thorough medical examination, in which the specialist probes the gallbladder points and abdomen in certain areas. During the examination, the patient appears soreness.
- With the help of ultrasound of the gallbladder, stones are detected by almost 95%, their size, location, size are estimated.
- Survey radiography, where calcified stones with a large amount of limescale will be visible.
- Cholecystography, in which contrast stones are detected, and also the functions of the bladder and its condition are evaluated.
- MRI used in difficult situations.
- ERCP to exclude the presence of any formations in the ducts of the bladder.
- Endo ultrasound using an endoscopic device to determine the functioning of the ductal system, the bladder itself, duodenal papilla, as well as the pancreas located nearby.
- Hemogram - the number of leukocytes and neutrophils - their fractions in the bladder increases, and ESR also increases, especially in the presence of inflammation.
Who to contact? As soon as a person begins to notice pain in the hypochondrium on his right or if stones are found during medical research, you should consult a gastroenterologist.
Healing stones
Not in every case, the detection of calculi requires an immediate operation. But it is worth noting that uncontrolled and improper therapy can cause obstruction of the ducts, as well as immediate contact with a doctor.
It is highly undesirable to drink vegetable oils and a variety of dangerous choleretic herbs, recommended by some "healers." It is best to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist.
Drug treatment consists of such a complex of measures:
- Preparations for eliminating biliary colic: a variety of antispasmodics, narcotic analgesics, as well as non-narcotic drugs.
- Means that will quickly dissolve calculi, but in order for the doctor to prescribe them, there must be hard indications.
- Antibiotics, especially with the development of a patient with cholecystitis.
- Extracorporeal lithotripsy.
- Reception of litholytic drugs.
Surgical treatment is required for manifestations of biliary colic; large stones; “Disconnected” bubble, which has lost the ability to contract; frequent cholecystitis and other complications.
Thanks to the use of modern technology, it is possible to quite quickly remove the bile without the usual laparotomy. This procedure is scientifically called laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Diet
To eliminate calculi from the gallbladder, the patient needs to eat properly, adhere to a diet. Doctors have proven that malnutrition is a fundamental factor that contributes to the appearance of stones.
The diet should normalize the impaired functioning of the gallbladder, as well as the liver. First of all, foods rich in oxalic acid, purines, extractive substances, and cholesterol should be excluded from the diet. A lot of fluid and coarse fiber is introduced into the menu. Cooking will also be of value. In general, it is recommended to bake or steam the products, previously they can be slightly boiled. You also need to adjust your diet. So, you need to eat in small portions at least 6 times a day. Food should not be too cold or hot.
Vitamin Complexes
These substances are intended to improve all biochemical processes. Vitamins C and E are especially valuable in the formation of stones.
So, ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is eliminated quite quickly from the body, so daily you need to include its sources in the diet - sweet peppers, citrus fruits, black currants, rose hips, sauerkraut, etc. Vitamin E will reduce the amount of cholesterol in the bile. Most of all this vitamin in nuts, liver and vegetable oil.
In addition to the vitamins described above, in the diet for cholelithiasis (gallbladder calculi), other equally useful and significant trace elements and vitamins must be included, especially in fresh, natural form. If it is not possible to eat fresh fruits and berries, patients should take vitamins and trace elements in courses. Of course, vitamins will not be able to eliminate calculi in the bladder, but high-quality vitamin therapy will help ongoing drug therapy.
Sport exercises
Regular exercise is the simplest and most effective recommendation of doctors in the treatment of calculi in the lumen of the gallbladder. It’s best to walk more every day - take about 10,000 steps. It may seem like a lot, but all people can do it! As an alternative, doctors recommend water aerobics, swimming and jumping.
Treatment of cholelithiasis with herbs
Herbs are used to treat stones in the gallbladder at an early stage. The main thing is that the drugs used have a combined effect on the body: calming, bile-forming and choleretic. It is recommended to use herbal preparations regularly, for a fairly long time (at least 3 months).
Choleretic properties are possessed by calamus, corn stigmas, sandy immortelle, tansy, peppermint and wild rose.
Sanatorium and resort treatment
The duration of this treatment is usually about a month. The program used must necessarily include the daily use of mineral waters of low or medium mineralization.
Is operation inevitable?
Most people who have had calculi in the neck of the gallbladder wonder whether the operation will really be mandatory and whether it will be possible to limit itself to proper drug therapy?
It is worth noting that surgical removal of the bladder by surgery is not always required, not every patient. When can I get along with drug treatment, and when there is no more time to wait and I need to have surgery?
What do gallbladder calculi mean and when should they not be touched? For many years, gallstones will not show themselves. But after some time, the pain may begin to intensify, especially in the hypochondrium on the right, it becomes bitter in the mouth, and after eating, a feeling of nausea may occur.
Complications of small calculi in the gallbladder can occur at a time when the formed stones can clog the ducts of the gallbladder, leaving it. In addition, in this case, a violation of the outflow of bile may develop, as well as biliary colic - a rather painful and unpleasant process.
In severe forms of cholelithiasis, surgical removal of the bladder with bile is usually required. If the patient does not notice any of the above signs, it is better not to disturb the calculi further, not forgetting about their qualitative conservative treatment.
It is forbidden to use choleretic drugs to promote stones for the treatment of calculi in the gallbladder. Otherwise, the patient may have rather serious consequences.
Stone stones, which are small in size, usually try to dissolve and then quickly withdraw them with certain medical means.
If quite a few stones have formed in the bladder with bile, which are quite large in size, or if the patient is concerned about quite strong painful sensations, in such a situation an operative measure will need to be performed - cholecystectomy.
In a predominant number of cases, patients undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy using tubes with a special video camera. This operation is characterized by such positive qualities: minimal invasiveness; faster recovery process; slight loss of blood when compared with surgery with an abdominal incision.
Such serious methods of treating calculi in the bladder with bile should be carried out under the supervision of doctors in the hospital, who could monitor the patient's condition, providing urgent care if necessary. Be sure to have a working equipment in the hospital that would allow you to see the position of the stones that come out of the gallbladder.
Stone formation prevention
Doctors say that it is impossible to remove calculi in the cavity of the gallbladder at home, you can only establish a normal outflow of bile, as well as prevent the formation of calculi. Prevention of this condition of the patient should help to eliminate factors predisposing to the appearance of stones: unbalanced and improper nutrition, overweight, etc. Removing gallbladder calculi (what it is, is already known) is an unpleasant procedure. Therefore, prevention is always appropriate.
To prevent the development of stones, after the operation, most patients are recommended to use litholytic drugs.
Total
After you find out what calculi in the gall bladder are (the formation of stones in the body cavity), you should direct all your efforts to eliminate them. All the above treatment methods will be able to quite quickly suppress the disease, but for this it is very important to take all measures at the very beginning of the formation of calculi. Timely started therapy can get rid of quite dangerous complications of the disease.