Symptoms, treatment and prevention of gallstones- a surgeon's guide
Overview
When excess deposition of cholesterol takes place within one's gallbladder, that forms stone-like structures, which are called gallstones. This mainly happens when a chemical imbalance in your digestive fluid bile occurs. Gallstones have become a very common issue nowadays. Untreated gallstones contribute to the risk of gallbladder cancer, says the best gallbladder surgeon in Kolkata. Research shows that almost 80% of gallbladder cancer patients have gallstones. The presence of gallstones makes the situation worse and decreases the chance of recovering from it.
Gallstones
Excess bilirubin, cholesterol, and bile salts accumulate and form pebble-like hard fragments in the gallbladder, known as gallstones. According to the best gallbladder surgeon in Kolkata, gallstones' size may vary from as large as a golf ball to as microscopic as grains of sand.
Types
There are 2 types of gallstones. Those are as follows:
Pigment stones: This type of stone is made of excess bilirubin and calcium salts. People with pre-existing conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver, biliary tract infections and some certain types of anaemia have more chances of developing these stones.
Cholesterol stones: When a person's cholesterol level goes high in the gallbladder and the bile salts can't dissolve the entire extra cholesterol, this type of stone starts to form.
Symptoms
Gallstones are also known as "silent stones." Initially, for a long time, they might not cause any symptoms and as a result, the patient remains oblivious of his situation. Another characteristic of gallstone is that its symptoms appear suddenly and those cause discomfort such as pain, fever, etc. If you keep ignoring the symptoms mentioned below for a long time, you may develop severe complications like inflammation of your gallbladder, infection, gallbladder cancer and cholecystitis.
The symptoms of gallstones are as follows:
Severe pain that occurs in the upper right portion of your abdomen
Sweating
Fever and chills
Nausea and vomiting
Intolerance to fatty food items
Pain in and between shoulder blades
Gas and feeling full due to it
Jaundice- yellowing of your skin and white portions of your eyes
Tea-coloured urine
Clay-coloured stools
All these symptoms are alarms that indicate that something is not right regarding your health. Visit Dr. Mainak Pal, the best gallstone surgeon in Kolkata and get the right treatment.
Diagnosis
A combination of imaging tests and lab tests will detect your condition appropriately. The tests are:
USG
Blood tests
Ultrasound
ERCP and MRCP (These are required when there is a high probability of bile duct stone)
Treatment
The best possible treatment for gallstones is laparoscopic cholecystectomy, says the best gallbladder surgeon in Kolkata. This helps you to get rid of your gallstones and related complications forever.
Prevention
To prevent the formation of gallstones, Dr. Mainak Pal advises maintaining a healthy diet that includes high-fiber food items. Physical activity also helps prevent gallstones. Quit smoking to curb the chance of the development of gallstones, says the best gallstone specialist in Kolkata.
Conclusion
If you ever experience any of the signs mentioned above, consult Dr. Mainak Pal and take help.
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