Debbie DeAngelo: Learn signs of gallstones, how to reduce the risk of gallbladder attacks

Debbie DeAngelo, Special to the Erie Times-News
·2 min read
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No one gives their gallbladder much thought, until it hurts. Gallstones are the top reason for this pain.

For some people, gallstones go quietly undetected. For others, they make their painful presence known.

Located beneath the liver in the upper right side of your abdomen, the gallbladder stores bile made by the liver and releases it to digest fats in the foods we eat.

Debbie DeAngelo, R.N., is certified in women’s health and is a holistic health coach.
Debbie DeAngelo, R.N., is certified in women’s health and is a holistic health coach.

Gallstones are solid particles that form in the gallbladder. Consisting of bile and cholesterol, they may be asymptomatic unless they are large, or start to move into the narrow ducts and cause a blockage.

Gallbladder attacks often strike after eating, especially if it’s a high fat or heavy meal.

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Signs include sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen, back pain between the shoulder blades or in the right shoulder, and nausea and vomiting.

If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor. Delaying evaluation and treatment can lead to increasingly worsening symptoms and serious complications.

Seek immediate care if your abdominal pain is so severe that you can’t sit still or it lasts for several hours, if you develop a high fever and chills, or if the whites of your eyes become yellow.

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Although gallbladder attacks are most common in women over age 40, our unhealthy lifestyle choices make everyone susceptible. There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing gallstones.

Maintain a healthy weight. When losing weight, do so slowly. Rapid weight loss can lead to stones.

Don’t skip meals or engage in fasting. Regularly going for prolonged periods of time without eating increases risk.

Eat a high-fiber diet with modest amounts of healthy fat, like olive oil, fish, nuts and avocado. Eating too little fat, or too much unhealthy fat, can lead to gallstone formation.

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Debbie DeAngelo, R.N., is certified in women’s health and is a holistic health coach. She can be reached at debbie@healthonheels.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Debbie DeAngelo: Tips to reduce the risk of gallbladder attacks