As of late I’ve been having a hell of a time with my gallbladder. I’ve never had any gallbladder-related issues in my life up until my recent diagnosis with Lymes disease, and while I’m not entirely certain the two are linked, there is a good probability that for me, personally, that they are, based on what I have researched and via conversation with some specialists.
Up until now I’ve been rather ignorant to the function of the gallbladder, what gallstones are, and further, what a gallstone attack is. From what I have read, gallbladder issues affect a decent amount of us, so I wanted to share some information pertaining to the topic with all of you in hopes of shining some light on the matter.
The following information comes from www.healthline.com.
“A gallbladder attack is also called a gallstone attack, acute cholecystitis, or biliary colic. If you have pain in the upper right side of your abdomen, it might be related to your gallbladder. Keep in mind that there are other causes of pain in this area as well. These include:
- heartburn (GERD)
- appendicitis
- hepatitis (liver inflammation)
- peptic (stomach) ulcer
- pneumonia
- hiatal hernia
- kidney infection
- kidney stones
- liver abscess
- pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- shingles infection
- severe constipation
“What is the gallbladder?
The gallbladder is a small sack in the upper right abdomen, below your liver. It looks like a sideways pear. Its main job is to store about 50 percent of bile (gall) that is made by the liver.
Your body needs bile to help break up fats. This liquid also helps you absorb some vitamins from foods. When you eat fatty foods, bile is released from the gallbladder and liver into the intestines. Food is mostly digested in the intestines.
“Could it be gallstones?
Gallstones are tiny, hard ‘pebbles’ made from fats, proteins, and minerals in your body. A gallbladder attack typically happens when gallstones block the bile duct or tube. When this happens, bile builds up in the gallbladder.
The blockage and swelling trigger pain. The attack normally stops when the gallstones move and bile can flow out.
There are two main types of gallstones:
- Cholesterol gallstones. These make up the most common type of gallstones. They look white or yellow because they’re made out of cholesterol or fat.
- Pigment gallstones. These gallstones are made when your bile has too much bilirubin. They’re dark brown or black in color. Bilirubin is the pigment or color that makes red blood cells red,” the webpage says.
If you think you may be experiencing issues with your gallbladder, it’s worth consulting your physician. Try to avoid resorting to have your gallbladder removed, though, if possible, and potentially treat it less severely through dietary changes and other less invasive treatment(s).
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