05.2.12

Complications and Symptoms of Gallstones

With the rise of fatty and spicy foods as a common part of the American diet, it comes as no surprise that more and more people are suffering from gallstones. Due to the benign nature of gallstones, the prevalence of gallstone sufferers is evidence that more people are developing them due to their diets. While there are other contributing factors, including age, gender, and genetics, diet plays a significant role in the development of malignant gallstones.

In a normal situation, gallstones are passed from the gallbladder to the small intestine where they are expelled from the body. However, when the gallstones get lodged in the passage connecting the gallbladder to the digestive system, the gallstones symptoms develop. This usually means that the patient suffers from moderate to strong or intense abdominal pain, back pain, and nausea or vomiting. There are other symptoms that may also develop, including coffee-colored urine. However, discolored urine and other symptoms are a direct result of liver problems. If these rarer symptoms occur, it is vital that a doctor is consulted immediately, as the gallstones will likely need immediately removed to prevent more damage being done to the liver. In milder cases, a doctor may be able to prescribe a medication that is able to dissolve the gallstones without needing surgery.