The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located under the ribs in the upper right part of the abdomen. Its function is to store bile fluid produced in the liver and release bile into the duodenum to facilitate digestion after eating.
The main diseases that cause gallbladder pain are gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, pancreatitis and inflammation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. There are two main reasons for pain. The first is the decrease in bile flow due to blockage of the bile duct with stones, tumors, or the pressure of the tumor of neighboring organs on the bile duct. In this case, the gallbladder, which gradually fills with bile fluid, cannot empty the bile due to the obstruction at the mouth of the bile duct, and the bladder becomes stretched, swollen and causes pain. In the second case, inflammation occurs in the gallbladder or adjacent tissues. Therefore, bile flow from the bile duct is partially or completely reduced, and edema (swelling) occurs in the tissues due to inflammation. Due to edema, the amount of blood flowing through the vessels decreases and the tissues cannot provide sufficient oxygen. Lack of oxygen in the tissues causes pain. When it comes to gallbladder pain, gallstones are the first thing that comes to mind. Gallstones usually occur in the gallbladder. Gallstones can occur in any part of the bile ducts. There is no definitive evidence as to how and why the stone was formed. As a result of the research, some reasons have been shown that may answer these questions. If the amount of cholesterol secreted from the liver to the gallbladder is excessive, the cholesterol-dissolving substances in the bile fluid become insufficient and cholesterol stones form. Bilirubin, the breakdown products of red blood cells in the blood, is also produced in the liver. In some blood diseases, excessive bilirubin occurs due to excessive breakdown of red blood cells. Excess bilirubin is also produced due to cirrhosis and biliary tract inflammation. Excess of this substance causes gallstones. The inability of the gallbladder to function adequately, as in diabetes, causes stagnation in the bile fluid in the gallbladder, and the fluid loses its fluidity. Bile sludge and gallstones occur due to bile stagnation. In women, people over 40 years of age, overweight, high in cholesterol and low in fibre. Gallbladder stones are more common in people who eat high-quality foods, those who have a family history of gallstones, women who have given birth to multiple births, diabetics, and those who lose weight rapidly. Medications containing estrogen (female hormone) and cholesterol-lowering medications are also risk factors for the formation of gallbladder stones. The main reason why gallstones cause pain is that the gallbladder cannot contract and empty the bile into the intestine because the stone blocks the bile duct opening. Apart from this, small stones moving inside the sac and causing irritation, and the stone causing inflammation in the gallbladder or bile duct are other causes of stone-related pain.
Gallstone pain mostly occurs under the right rib and in the stomach area, where the bladder is located. There is sensitivity when pressing that area. The pain radiates to the back and may also be reflected on the chest. Some patients confuse chest pain with heart pain. Pain is felt between both shoulder blades. Pain may last from a few minutes to several hours. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the pain. Stony pouch pain is often confused with stomach or duodenal ulcer, and time is wasted with ulcer treatment. Patients are disturbed by fried foods, egg and chocolate foods. These types of foods increase the contraction of the gallbladder. The contracting sac wants to expel the bile fluid in it, but if the stone forms a plug at the mouth of the duct - when inflammation and edema in the gallbladder wall are added to this - the fluid cannot be expelled and severe pain occurs as the sac contracts. Many patients complain of gas and burping. If infection is added to the picture, the patient will have fever. If there is a complete obstruction in the flow of bile, jaundice occurs as a result of the bile pigments called bilirubin not being excreted. The patient turns dark yellow, popularly known as black jaundice. As jaundice increases, irrepressible itching occurs. When the blockage in the main bile duct prevents the flow of digestive fluids from the pancreas, inflammation of the pancreas called pacreatitis occurs. As a result of some studies, it has been claimed that gallstones cause gallbladder cancer over many years, but this has not been clarified. 80-90 percent of those with gallbladder cancer have t There is food. This dilemma is still not resolved: Does the stone cause cancer in the long term, or does the bile stagnation in the bladder, which cannot store and discharge bile due to cancer, causes the stone.
Gallbladder stones are diagnosed with the patient's complaints and ultrasonography findings. Although gallbladder film is also a diagnostic method, this method has lost its importance with the widespread use of ultrasonography. This method is both laborious and causes the patient to receive harmful x-rays. Infection, jaundice, pancreatitis etc. Blood tests are used for such situations. Although the patient does not need treatment for silent stones that do not bother the patient, pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, etc. may occur. In cases where this occurs, medication and serum treatment are required to relieve the patient. The definitive solution to the pain that bothers the patient is surgical treatment. Surgical removal of the gallbladder does not make the patient disabled or shorten his life; only the bile produced in the liver cannot be stored and flows directly into the small intestine. Dissolving gallstones with medications and then breaking the stone is a method used for patients who cannot undergo surgery. With this type of treatment, there is a possibility that very crumbly stones may block the small bile ducts and cause obstructive jaundice, pain, infection, and pancreatitis. This requires urgent treatment.
Dear readers, I wish you a disease-free, problem-free, healthy, happy and long life.
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