Treatment for gallstones can be done with a balanced and healthy diet, use of medicines, shock waves or surgery, and varies according to the symptoms presented, the size of the stones and other factors, such as age, weight and other existing diseases, such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
Diet and medication are best indicated when the stones are still small and do not cause symptoms, such as severe pain on the right side of the abdomen. However, when a person presents symptoms or when the stone is large or blocks the bile ducts, treatment is usually performed with surgery to remove the gallbladder.
In cases where surgery cannot be performed, the doctor may recommend shock waves, a procedure that helps break the stones into small pieces, facilitating their elimination through the intestine.
The main treatment options for gallstones are:
1. Medicines
The remedies recommended for the treatment of gallstones are cholesterol, as medications such as ursodiol act by dissolving these stones. However, the person may need to take this type of medicine for a long time, as stones normally take years to dissolve and, therefore, this treatment is only recommended for people who do not have constant pain or discomfort due to the presence of the stone.
2. Low-fat diet
Diet for gallstones should be done to avoid an increase in cholesterol, as it is one of the main causes of the formation of gallstones. Therefore, the diet should be low in pasta and fat, and rich in fiber.
- What to eat: fruits, vegetables, raw salad, whole grain products such as bread, rice, pasta and crackers, whole grains such as oats, chia and flaxseed, crackers or maria.
- What not to eat: fried foods in general, peanuts, hot dogs, sausages, red meat, margarine, butter, whole milk, yellow cheeses such as cheddar and mozzarella, cream, pizza, processed products such as stuffed biscuits, packaged snacks and frozen food.
Furthermore, it is important to drink plenty of fluids during the day, such as water, teas or natural juices, preferably without sugar, as this helps to eliminate stones and prevent the formation of others. Find out what nutrition should be like for gallstones.
See the video below for more details on the diet for gallstones:
3. Shockwaves
Gallstones can be treated through the extracorporeal lithotripsy procedure, which are shock waves that break the stones into smaller pieces, which are easier to pass through the bile ducts to the intestine, where they will be eliminated in the feces. However, this technique is restricted to people who have symptoms and who have a single stone, measuring 0.5 to 2 cm in diameter, and there are few people who meet these criteria.
The disadvantage of non-surgical treatments for gallstones is the high chance of the stones returning and inflaming the gallbladder.
4. Surgery to remove the gallbladder
Surgical treatment of gallstones is done when the person has abdominal pain or when the stones are very large. The surgery can be performed through a cut in the abdomen or by laparoscopy, which is a surgery performed through a small cut in the belly, where the surgeon places a camera inside the abdomen and can remove the gallbladder without having to make a larger cut. This method is the one that has been used the most.
Surgery is usually the treatment chosen because it provides a definitive solution to the problem and the patient generally only needs to be hospitalized for 1 day and can return to their normal activities after about 2 weeks. After surgery, the liver will continue to produce bile, which now goes directly to the intestine during digestion, as there is no longer a gallbladder for its storage. See more about gallbladder surgery and what recovery is like.
5. Home treatment
A home treatment that can be used for gallstones is burdock and boldo tea, which helps to reduce gallbladder inflammation and eliminate the stones. However, the person should inform the doctor about home treatment, and this should only be done when there are no symptoms present, such as abdominal pain.
To make this tea, simply add a boldo tea bag, 1 teaspoon of burdock root and 500 ml of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat and add the boldo and burdock. After 10 minutes, strain the mixture and drink 2 cups of tea per day, 1 hour after lunch and dinner. Check out other home remedy options for gallstones.
Possible complications
When the stones are small and do not cause pain, a person can go their entire life without feeling anything. However, stones can grow and block the bile ducts, causing complications such as:
- Cholecystitis, which is the inflammation of the gallbladder with an increased risk of infection, being perceived through some symptoms such as constant abdominal pain, even when the person is not eating, fever and vomiting;
- Coledocolitíase, which is when the stone leaves the gallbladder and obstructs the common bile duct, causing pain and jaundice, which is a situation in which the skin and eyes have a yellowish color;
- Cholangitis, which is a serious infection caused by bacteria, which can lead to death, and which can cause some symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, chills and jaundice;
- Acute pancreatitis, which is when the stone blocks a duct in the pancreas, leading to symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and jaundice.
Therefore, in the presence of signs and symptoms that may be indicative of complications from the presence of gallstones, it is important that the person consults a general practitioner or gastroenterologist so that tests can be carried out so that treatment for the complication can begin. promoting a person’s quality of life.
