Gallstones are pieces of hard material that shape your gallbladder; a tiny organ under your liver. If you have them, you may hear your doctor say you have cholelithiasis. Your gallbladder stores and lets out bile that is liquid formed in your liver, to help indigestion. Bile is widely known to carry wastes such as bilirubin and cholesterol, which your body creates when it breaks red blood cells and forms gallbladder stones.
Types of Gallstones
Usually, gallstones can range from a grain size of sand to that of a golf ball. You may not know that you have them until they hinder a bile duct, leading you to experience a lot of pain. That’s what calls for getting a suitable gall bladder stone treatment offered by an experienced doctor.
Moreover, there are two major types of gallstones, such as cholesterol stones that are mainly yellow-green. They’re the most common, creating up to 80% of gallstones. Another type is pigment stones; these are smaller and darker. They are made from bilirubin.
When to Seek Gallbladder Stone Treatment?
Some people with gallstones that don’t cause signs and symptoms won’t require treatment. Your chosen doctor can decide if treatment for gallstones is designated as per your symptoms and the results of diagnostic testing. Most importantly, your doctor will do a physical examination that involved examining your eyes and skin for visible changes in color.
Even your doctor may suggest that you stay alert for symptoms of gallstone complications like intensifying pain in your upper right abdomen. If gallstones symptoms happen in the future, you can opt for a gall bladder stone treatment.
Gallstones Treatment Options
Cholecystectomy Surgery: An expert doctor may suggest you go for surgery to get rid of your gallbladder as gallstones often return. Once your gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from your liver into your small intestine, instead of being stored in your gallbladder. Keep in mind that you don’t depend on your gallbladder to live. So, gallbladder removal doesn’t impact your ability to digest food, but it can lead to diarrhea, which is generally temporary.
Medications to Dissolve Gallstones: Some medications you consume by mouth may help in dissolving gallstones. However, it may take up to months or even years of treatment to dissolve your gallstones through this method, and gallstones can most likely grow again if treatment is stopped. At times, medicines don’t work, so this treatment is not commonly suggested and is reserved for people who can’t encounter surgery.
Other Nonsurgical Treatments: Shock wave lithotripsy is another common option. A lithotripter is a device that produces shock waves that pass through an individual. These shock waves can break apart all the gallstones into tiny pieces.
Preparing for your Appointment
Now, if you want to get a gall bladder stone treatment, ensure to visit the trusted doctor or a general practitioner upon noticing the symptoms. An experienced doctor can recommend a test to be sure of the condition and then help you connect with a doctor who specializes in the digestive system or abdominal surgeon.