Gallstones
Created in the gallbladder, gallstones are made from hardened bile. Usually, this is caused by an imbalance like bacterial infection, parasites, excess cholesterol or bilirubin.
Historically, the most common type in Hong Kong was caused by parasites. Recently, this has shifted to cholesterol stones. It’s theorised this is because more people are eating Western diets.
Gallstones are common. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people in the UK have gallstones. The majority are unlikely to develop symptoms.Symptoms only occur when a gallstone moves into a bile duct, which connects the gallbladder to other parts of the body like the liver and digestive system.
Gallstones cause immediate abdominal pain - in the centre of your tummy, or beneath your ribs on the right side (where your gallbladder is located). This pain may travel to your side or shoulder blade.
The pain usually lasts between one and five hours, but it could last as little as a few minutes.
You’ll be able to differentiate it from other causes as the pain will not dissipate if you pass wind, vomit or go to the bathroom.
Other symptoms may include jaundice, excessive sweating, fever, itching, feeling disoriented and losing your appetite.
Poor diet, obesity and sedentary living have all been linked to gallstones.
Women are more likely to develop gallstones, especially if you’ve had kids, are taking a combined oral contraceptive, or are taking a high dose of oestrogen.
Other risk factors include being over 40, genetic links to gallstones and medical conditions like IBS, Crohn’s or cirrhosis or rapid weight loss.
We can refer you for ultrasounds to confirm whether you have gallstones or not.
If you know you’re at risk of gallstones, we can carry out preventative testing to assess your cholesterol levels. This means you can make any lifestyle changes necessary to reduce your risk of developing gallstones.
We can also test for parasites and other causes of gallstones. We recommend booking an appointment with a naturopath to assess which tests would be best for your needs.
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