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. More facts on the gallstones symptoms in women have been detailed in the following. Apart from this, we would touch upon some other important aspects of this condition.

Signs of Gallstones in Women

The mere formation of gallstones in the gallbladder do not cause any kind of symptoms. The symptoms of gallbladder problem in women only occur if the stones lodge in a duct and cause a blockage. The occurrence of symptoms is known as a gallbladder attack, as they tend to occur suddenly. The common gallstones signs and symptoms 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 the causes of 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 in color. 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

As we are done with the gallstones symptoms in women, and a brief about the possible causes of the condition, we would now head towards the treatment of the condition. For patients who do not suffer from any such symptoms, usually do not require treatment for gallstones. However, when symptoms start showing up, a gallstones surgery is what is opted for in most cases.

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 taking care of this condition and cure the gallstones symptoms in women, 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 in women indicate the necessity of a surgery to remove the gallbladder. Otherwise, most people live without any symptoms or any treatment.
By Rajib Singha