What are the symptoms of gallstones? These are common manifestations

Many people have gallstones, but some do not show any symptoms. Gallstones can cause back pain, stomach pain, and vomiting. They must be treated promptly, otherwise the disease will affect the pancreas when it occurs, causing serious harm such as pancreatitis.

1. Symptoms

1. Gallstones usually have no obvious symptoms in the early stages and are mostly discovered during routine physical examinations. Sometimes, mild discomfort may be mistaken for stomach problems and not promptly treated.

2. Some single or multiple gallstones exist freely in the gallbladder, are not easily incarcerated, and rarely cause symptoms. They are called asymptomatic gallstones.

3. Small stones in the gallbladder may become lodged in the neck of the gallbladder, causing clinical symptoms. Especially when the gallbladder contracts after eating greasy food, or when the body position changes during sleep, the symptoms may be aggravated.

4. When gallstones are embedded in the neck of the gallbladder, it causes acute obstruction, leading to increased pressure in the gallbladder. The bile cannot be discharged through the gallbladder neck and the cystic duct, thus causing clinical symptoms, usually manifested as biliary colic. It presents as persistent right upper abdominal pain, which worsens in paroxysmal ways and may radiate to the right shoulder and back, often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. For some patients, clinical symptoms can be relieved on their own after a few hours.

5. If the impaction of gallstones persists, the gallbladder will continue to enlarge and may even be infected, thus progressing to acute cholecystitis. If not treated promptly, a small number of patients may develop acute suppurative cholecystitis. In severe cases, gallbladder perforation may occur, with serious clinical consequences.

2. Causes

Prefer quietness and less movement (25%):

Many women, especially middle-aged women, tend to stay at home more often and do less exercise and physical labor. Over time, the contraction force of their gallbladder muscles will inevitably decrease, and bile emptying will be delayed, which can easily cause bile stasis and cholesterol crystallization, creating conditions for the formation of gallstones. In addition, due to the high level of estrogen in women's bodies, it will affect the formation of glucuronide bilirubin in the liver and increase unconjugated bilirubin, while estrogen affects gallbladder emptying, causing bile stasis and promoting stone formation. The incidence of gallstones in postmenopausal women who use estrogen increases significantly.

Obesity (10%):

Many women like to drink high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol drinks or snacks. The direct result of this hobby is weight gain, and obesity is an important basis for gallstones. Studies have shown that people whose weight exceeds the normal standard by more than 15% have a gallstone incidence rate 5 times higher than normal people. Obese women over 40 years old are the most susceptible group to gallstones. At this time, female estrogen will cause more cholesterol to accumulate in the bile.

Skipping breakfast (5%):

Among modern women, there are probably more women who skip breakfast than those who eat it. Skipping breakfast for a long time will increase the concentration of bile, which is conducive to bacterial reproduction and easily promotes the formation of gallstones. If you insist on eating breakfast, it can promote the outflow of some bile, reduce the viscosity of bile stored overnight, and reduce the risk of gallstones.