Gall Bladder Stones: Symptoms, Complications and Treatments

Contents

In this article, we will take a look at:

• What are Gall Bladder Stones?
• How does Gall Bladder Stones occur?
• Who is prone to Gall Bladder Stones?
• Symptoms of Gall Bladder Stones
• Diagnosis of Gall Bladder Stones
• Complications of Gall Bladder Stones
• Treatment for Gall Bladder Stones

You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your interest.

What are Gall Bladder Stones?

Gall Bladder Stones, also known as ‘gall stones’, are solid particles formed in the gallbladder due to bile cholesterol and bilirubin. These particles can be of different sizes, at times as small as a grain of sand to as big as a golf ball. There can be chances of having just a single big stone in the gallbladder or many small stones or mixture of both at the same time.

Gallbladder stones infect the gallbladder ducts, leading to its inflammation, which might affect the pancreas too. This problem can lead to abdominal pain as well. If not treated at the right time, gallbladder stones can be a threat to life. They might lead to gallbladder diseases and can affect the liver as well.

Gall stones are generally of two types- Cholesterol Stones and Pigment Stones

• Cholesterol Stones
• These occur due to excessive cholesterol in the bile.
• Pigment Stones
• These occur as a result of excessive bilirubin in the bile.

How does Gall Bladder Stones occur?

Gall bladder stones occur due to the formation of solid particles in the gallbladder. These solid particles (stones) are a result of rising in the quantity of cholesterol or bilirubin in gall bladder. At times, the presence of some other particles in the bile might also lead to the formation of stones. The gallbladder of a person suffering from poor muscle tone, might not be able to empty completely, resulting in leftover bile. This leftover bile can become a reason for the formation of gall stones.

Who is prone to Gall Bladder Stones?

• You could be at a risk of getting gall stones if:
• You are obese
• You are a pregnant woman
• You are a woman on birth control pills
• Have any history of gall stones
• Above 40 years of age
• You experience sudden weight loss
• You are on a carbohydrate diet or any calorie diet.
• You are suffering from any intestinal or liver disease
• You have diabetes

What are the symptoms of Gall stones? How is Gall stones diagnosed? 

The symptoms of gall stones depend mostly on their size and quantity. At times, minute gall stones do not show any symptoms but they can be mobile at times, blocking the bile flow. This situation might cause a severe pain in the abdomen. This pain generally subsides in some time, however excessive and prolonged pain should not be ignored.

Some of the common symptoms can be categorized as:

• Unbearable and prolonged pain in the abdomen
• Vomiting and nausea
• Fever along with a chilling sensation
• Symptoms as common as jaundice (white part of eyes turning yellow)
• Change in the colour of urine and stool
• Indigestion
• Bloating
• Unable to digest greasy or fatty acid foods

Diagnosis 

After analysing the symptoms, doctor might conduct a thorough physical examination to check for any other medical issue. The patient might have to go through a number of tests like CT scan, MRI or an Ultrasound. These tests will help in detecting the sizes and number of stones available in the gall bladder. The doctor may ask for few specific tests and blood tests, if required.

What are the complications of gall stones? 

Gall stones, within the walls of gall bladder, do not create many problems. However, if they move and block the bile duct, extreme pain can be experienced. Few other complications which can arise due to gall stones can be:

• Infection in gall bladder and nearby organs 
• Rupture of gall bladder 
• Pancreatitis

What is the treatment for gall stones? 

Gall stones can be treated by two methods- Surgical and Non- surgical. However, non-surgical is recommended only in the case of patients who are not fit for surgery. In surgical treatment, a minor surgery is performed to remove the stones. In case of infection, gall bladder is removed, which is again a small surgery with speedy recovery and not much of a hassle. For any person having gall stones, removal of the gall bladder is considered as the best treatment.