Some websites promise gallstone cures without surgery. Some say that all gallstones are dangerous and must be removed. This article attempts to clear up the misconceptions about these strange little stones that can turn lives upside down.
Do All People with Gallstones Need Surgery?
Gallstones can cause intense pain, known as gallbladder attacks or gallstone attacks, in some people. However, gallstones can also be silent, meaning they cause no pain, no symptoms, and no reason for the person to even know they exist. Even if someone has a single gallbladder attack, it does not mean there will be more.
"Should I have surgery to treat gallstone attacks?" from the website WebMD gives several guidelines for someone deciding whether or not to have his gallbladder removed. This article says that a person should not consider surgery when he or she has no symptoms at all, has had only one attack, has pain that is mild and manageable, or feels that the complications from surgery are too great of a risk to his or her current health.
So, no, not everyone with gallstones needs to take the drastic step of removing their gallbladder.
Can Gallstones be Removed without Surgery?
For those whose gallstone symptoms are too painful to ignore, they may still want to pursue options other than surgery. The good news is that there are some scientifically proven pills which can dissolve certain types of stones. Gallstones formed from cholesterol have been treated by using ursodiol or chenodiol, but these pills are not effective on pigment gallstones, stones that were formed primarily from crystallized bile pigments.
In an article called “Understanding Gallstones,” on the American Gastroenterological Association website, it states that the medications are effective only against small stones, and that the pills are only given to patients with stones of the right type and size.
Also, as WebMD points out in its webpage on gallstones, "The downside of using either medication is that you may have to take it for years to completely dissolve the stones. In addition, the stones may come back after you stop taking the drug."
Websites litter the internet promising flushes that detoxify the gallbladder and remove gallstones naturally. However, there has been little scientific proof to show that these flushes actually remove gallstones. One study, discussed in an April 16, 2005 article from The Lancet, called “Could These Be Gallstones,” went so far as to study the so-called gallstones that were flushed out of patients' systems, and concluded that they were actually lumps of the ingredients, such as olive oil, from the flush itself.
Will Removing the Gallbladder End All Symptoms?
In most cases, removing the gallbladder will end the patient's suffering, but as MedicineNet.com points out in its article “Gallstones,” some people will continue to have symptoms if gallstones were left in bile ducts, if there are other issues with the bile ducts, or if the symptoms were not caused by gallstones to begin with.
Gallstones will form wherever bile is present, so it is not uncommon for them to form outside of the gallbladder. If stones were formed in bile ducts, or if stones from the gallbladder became loose and moved into the ducts, stones may be left after gallbladder surgery. MedicineNet.com notes that there are procedures to look for and treat these stones.
Some people have their gallbladders removed, believing it will cure all of their gastrointestinal symptoms. While it is true that gallstones can cause issues such as acid reflux and indigestion, other factors, like ulcers, could be causing these as well. It is possible that a number of different disorders could be causing the same problems, and by curing one ailment, another will still continue to cause pain. Most doctors will look into this before surgery, though, and will let the patient know if he or she feels that removing the gallbladder is not the cure that the patient is looking for.
 |
