Saturday, March 7, 2009

What is Cholelithiasis and How to Deal with it

By Katie A. Price

Cholelithiasis is the formation of stones in the gallbladder. These stones accumulate over time and block the normal pathway of bile within the gallbladder. Upon blockage, bile stagnation occurs which causes salt precipitates and therefore increases the amount of stones in the gallbladder. You might be wondering what causes this stone formation. Specialists have found out that stone formation is related to obesity and other conditions such as diabetes and even hypothyroidism.

Majority of patients who have cholelithiasis are women, and although there are men, the number is incomparable to that of women. Age is also a factor, especially affecting those in their forties. Experts have theorized that pregnant women are also prone to developing stones in the gallbladder. Cholesterol and bile salts are usually the things that cause the stones found in the gallbladder.

Usually, patients with cholelithiasis experience weight loss because of nausea and vomiting. They also tend to eat less, leading to anorexia. A noticeable fatty and odorous stool is also present. This is because fat emulsification is poor and ineffective making it present in the stool. This condition is termed steatorrhea. Often you would also hear these patients frequently burping. They may also experience flatulence because of the presence of gas in their stomach.

Fat absorption is not only the problem if you have cholelithiasis. You will also have skin discoloration because of the accumulation of bile. The color of the skin changes to yellow making you look like you have a liver disease or hepatitis. Jaundice is the term for the yellowish skin color.

If the condition is already severe, especially if cholelithiasis has accompanying inflammation and fever upon checking on the results of the diagnostic tests, then operation is necessary. Because the bladder is already dysfunctional, it will be no use to the system and needs to be removed. The removal of the gallbladder is coined as cholecystectomy. This is done to avoid further complications and infection.

Because the gallbladder is necessary for fat absorption, you need to limit your fat consumption so that it won't have to work hard and eventually be dysfunctional. Try to stop eating foods that are rich in fats and preservatives because they will do nothing but harm to your body. Foods rich in cholesterol are usually those that can be bought in fast food restaurants. You might not experience the symptoms early but it can be very painful when you experience it all of a sudden.

Cholelithiasis is a serious condition when it is already accompanied by the inflammation of the gallbladder. There are various approaches when it comes to the management of cholelithiasis. If it is not yet serious, treatments such as electrohydraulic shock wave lithotripsy or known as ESWL are used to dissolve the stones in the gallbladder.

If you dont have enough time to exercise because of the busy demands of your work, you can always try a simple walk before going to work. By doing household chores, you are also able to burn off excess fat in your body. You dont have to force yourself to abruptly change your lifestyle because you can do it in moderation. - 15437

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