Gallstones Symptoms in Women

It has been reported that, gallstones cause nearly 800,000 hospitalizations in the United States annually. As the name suggests, gallstones are formed by the accumulation of digestive fluid in the gallbladder. These stones can be the size of a pea, and in some cases, they could even be as large as a golf ball. Some people may develop only one stone, while others, more than that. The condition seems to be more prevalent in women, when compared to men.
What Indicates the Formation of Gallstones?
The mere formation of gallstones in the gallbladder does not cause any kind of symptoms. The symptoms only occur if the one or more stones lodges in a duct and causes a blockage. The symptoms tend to occur suddenly, and they may include:
Pain that occurs suddenly in the upper right abdominal area. This pain intensifies with time.
A similar pain can be felt in the area right below the breastbone.
The gallstone pain may get radiated to other places of the body such as the back, and the right shoulder.
The pain may stay for several minutes to a few hours. (One of the most common gallbladder disease symptoms in women)
There could be some more gallbladder attack symptoms in women, accompanying the above ones. They may include gas, belching, indigestion, and bloating. Immediate medical attention becomes a necessity if the symptoms such as a pain is too intense to let the person sit properly, the skin and the whites of your eyes going yellow, and high fever accompanied by chills occur. Occurrence of gallstones symptoms during pregnancy can be a major concern for most mothers. Moreover, the pain can intensify the pregnancy symptoms the mother is already facing.
Causes
Answers are not specific about what causes gallstones in women or in men. However, assumptions blame bile containing too much cholesterol, which may form into crystals, and eventually stones. These are known as cholesterol gallstones and are yellow. Another possibility may be related to, too much amount of bilirubin in the bile. When red blood cells are broken down, bilirubin is produced. This chemical causes the formation of dark brown or black stones in the gallbladder.
Treatment
For patients who do not suffer from any symptoms such as the ones mentioned above, usually do not require any treatment for gallstones. However, when symptoms start showing up, a surgery is usually recommended.
In the surgery, know as cholecystectomy, the gallbladder itself is removed. This is because the gallstones have a tendency to recur. The gallbladder does the work of storing the bile that is secreted by the liver. Now with this organ removed, the bile would flow directly into the small intestine. The surgery does not affect the way the patient digests her food, except that, it may cause diarrhea.
A less common treatment method for treating and curing gallstones, is using medications that dissolve the stones. However, months or years may pass before any positive results come up. This is why, this method is reserved for people who are not eligible to undergo a gallbladder surgery.
Following a gallstones diet may reduce the risk of developing the condition. This might include a diet that is rich in fiber and healthy fats, and regular intake of vitamin C, vitamin E or calcium supplements. Drinking plenty of fluid including water, avoiding preserved foods, and eating small frequent meals, also help in reducing the risk.
As mentioned, occurrence of gallstones symptoms indicate the necessity of a surgery to remove the gallbladder. Otherwise, most people live with the condition without requiring any treatment.