Gallbladder attack: Causes, symptoms, and Treatment

Overview

A gallbladder attack is a term commonly used for describing a gallstone blockage event. In a normal person, the proteins and bile acids prevent the formation of the gallstones. But due to imbalance in the bile components, the pebble-like deposits or gallstones are formed in the gallbladder. As the gallstone will block the bile ducts and the pressure will increase in the gallbladder. This can cause an attack of the sporadic pain in the center of the upper abdomen called as a biliary colic. The belly pain will radiate outwards and move gradually to the center of the belly or the upper back. A gallbladder attack can last anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. Often the gallstones are managed by waiting for them to be passed naturally.

Common signs and symptoms of a gallbladder attack

The common signs and symptoms of a gallbladder attack include the following:

• Gallbladder pain in the upper right side or the middle of the abdomen. The pain can be sharp, dull or cramping. Usually, the pain starts suddenly and feeling the pain is steady and it may spread to the back or the area just below the right shoulder blade. Having a steady pain particularly after the meals is a common symptom of gallbladder stones.
• Nausea or vomiting are the most common symptoms of all types of the gallbladder problems.
  
  
• Jaundice is another sign of a gallbladder attack since  the yellow tinted skin is a sign of a common bile duct block from a gallstone.

How to treat a gallbladder attack?

Do you want to know how to treat a gallbladder attack? A gallbladder attack is as painful as a childbirth but without any happy ending. If you once had a gallbladder attack, you will probably want to avoid another one at all costs. It’s possible that surgery may be needed but there are natural remedies as you well you can try first to avoid expense and the problems associated with going under the knife or laser.

To try and relieve the symptoms of a gallbladder attack, you will need a heating pad, over the counter painkillers, vegetable or fruit juice, walking shoes, olive oil and a lemon.

• The first thing you might want to try is treat a gallbladder attack with over the counter painkillers. If your pain isn’t bearable, you can try asking your doctor for a prescription drug but take care. If you have an addictive personality, you can get hooked on the pills or worse, there is a possibility of an overdose.
• Another way to treat a gallbladder attack is to use a heating pad. Place it under your rib cage on your right side that’s the location of your gallbladder. Do not fall asleep while using a heating pad since this can result in burns.
  
  
• Since the gallbladder pain is sometimes alleviated by movement, you might try walking. Put on comfortable shoes and take a short walk. If it’s cold or raining outside, you can just pace around at your place.
  
  
• When the gallbladder pain has gone away for now, you may want to drink some fruit or vegetable juice. This can help with the inflammation which occurs during the attack. This will also help to let your organs rest.
• You can do cleansing with olive oil and a lemon for treating a gallbladder attack. Combine around four tablespoons of olive oil followed by two tablespoons of lemon juice and this is helpful to treat the gallbladder attack. Repeat this several times, about every 15 minutes each for around three hours.

Bottom line

If your gallbladder attacks still continue, despite following the low fat diet as suggested, then you should seek a medical advice. Remember that the gallbladder attacks are nothing to be fooled around with as you can get pancreatitis which can be fatal. Instead of worrying about the next gallbladder attack, you might want to choose for the gallbladder surgery. With lasers, the incisions are small these days and the recovery time is shorter. Although you might not want to think about surgery, but sometimes it’s best to take care of a medical problem.

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http://lerablog.org/health/gallbladder-problem-and-symptoms-what-do-we-know-about-it/