How to ease a gallbladder attack? 11 Natural Tips

I’m one of those people who have gallbladder trouble but don’t want to remove it.

It must be there for a definite reason, so why remove it?

But this will alone is not enough to reduce crises, and endure pain, indigestion, and heartburn.

I have long sought solutions to try to resolve this dysfunction and suffer less.

It is not easy but I assure you that we can finally find natural solutions to live without too much digestive fatigue and digestion problems.

I share with you my knowledge acquired over the years and my daily routine to keep this little capricious … and painful organ!

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What is gallbladder function?

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The role of the gallbladder is to store bile that the liver makes continuously.

It contains between 40 and 60ml of bile when the liver makes 500 to 800ml per day.

Bile accumulates in the gallbladder between meals.

When we eat, it contracts and sends bile into the bile ducts, cystic duct, and common bile duct, for it to drain into the small intestine.

So this bile, composed of water and bile salts, will facilitate digestion and assimilate fats.

It also has a detoxifying effect and thus allows the elimination of harmful substances to the body.

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What are gallstones?

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Lithiasis is the medical term for stones.

In the case of the gallbladder, these are solid stones, pebbles, that form within it.

The gallbladder is a sac-like organ located under the liver.

Stones can range from the size of a grain to that of a golf ball.

Fortunately, most stones are no longer than 2cm.

80% is due to cholesterol and 20% is just pigmented.

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What is hepatic colic?

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Hepatic colic is the result of cholelithiasis.

It manifests as severe pain caused by the displacement of a stone in the cystic duct.

It is noticeable by a painful tightening under the ribs on the right side increased by breathing and radiating to the right shoulder, scapula, and back.

The pain very quickly becomes constant and can last from 30 minutes to several hours, as long as the stone has not left the bile ducts.

It can cause nausea and vomiting and forces the person to absolute rest.

Biliary colic should receive prompt medical attention.

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Gallbladder pain and stress

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Digestion problems, nausea after meals, difficult digestion, stomach cramp, abdominal pain, and a heavy stomach can be signs of inflammation of the gallbladder caused by stress.

Indeed, stress and nervous tension increase the secretion of bile even without any food.

Worse, chronic stress and the exhaustion that results from it significantly reduce this secretion, which leads to a slowdown in hepatobiliary function.

So the symptoms of digestive discomfort worsen and appear almost every day.

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What causes gallstones?

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The liver makes and releases bile, a greenish liquid.

It is stored in the gallbladder which concentrates it.

So, when you eat for example a good cheeseburger well dripping with cheese, the gallbladder activates, contracts and the bile flows towards the small intestine to help digestion.

Between meals, the gallbladder is relaxed and bile fills it.

If your meal contains too much cholesterol or too much bilirubin, a yellow pigment not soluble in water resulting from the breakdown of hemoglobin, or not enough bile salts, stones can form.

If, moreover, the gallbladder does not empty completely or not often enough, stones are formed.

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What are the gallbladder risk factors?

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– Genetics: if the gallbladder is a family affair 

– Gender: if you are a woman of about 40

– Weight: if you are overweight

– Diet: if your diet is high in fat but low in fiber

– Healthy lifestyle: if you fast too often if you lose weight too quickly if you lack physical activity

– Drugs: if you are taking the contraceptive pill or undergoing hormone replacement therapy 

– Disease: if you have diabetes, anemia, cirrhosis of the liver

– If you are pregnant

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How do I know if I have gallstones?

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The most obvious symptom is pain after eating too rich a meal.

Abdominal pain localized to the right of the stomach with radiation to the right shoulder or back occurs.

You can go as far as vomiting or be taken from nausea.

Some people have these symptoms without even having eaten, especially at night.

Having said that, it may also be noted that many people have silent stones which will be found by accident during an X-ray or scanner.

If the stones are asymptomatic, no treatment is required.

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How are gallstones diagnosed?

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Your doctor will do a physical exam and then order a blood test to rule out any risk of infection and blockage.

Then you have prescribed an X-ray to determine if your gallbladder contains stones.

Most of the time, these reviews are conclusive.

However, if in doubt, a CT scan will provide a more detailed view of the gallbladder, liver, and bile ducts.

If the organ is infected and shows signs of blockage, the physician invites you to have another examination, a HIDA (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid or hepatobiliary scintigraphy).

It can also detect gallbladder disease without the presence of stones called acalculous cholecystitis.

There are two other specialized tests: MRCP (cholangio-MRI) and ERCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography – endoscopy) to find small stones that block the bile ducts.

ERCP allows you to locate stones but also to remove them.

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Gallbladder stones complications

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If the gallbladder is blocked by one or more stones, inflammation occurs.

The pain on the right side of the stomach is constant and fever occurs.

If this blockage is left untreated, it can lead to a ruptured gallbladder which then becomes a medical emergency.

If the stones come out of the gallbladder and block the bile ducts, symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, chills, and jaundice (discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes).

They can also cause inflammation of the pancreas, another medical emergency that requires immediate treatment to remove the stones.

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How to treat gallstones?

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If you have no symptoms, you should not treat them.

Your doctor will keep you under monitoring and give you advice on diet, hydration, and certain attitudes to modify.

Some small stones can be washed away naturally.

 

On the other hand, if the stones are symptomatic and make you sick, your doctor will offer you various options:

– laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the most common surgical procedure in which the gallbladder is removed via laparoscope.

– cholecystectomy is direct intervention and requires a belly incision to remove the gallbladder.

If the stones have lodged in the bile ducts, the surgeon can use ERCP to pick them up and remove them.

 

Conventional treatment is usually offered if the surgical risks are too high.

The doctor then prescribes a pill to dissolve the stones made from cholesterol (ursodiol) to be taken over the long term without guarantee of results.

 

It can also offer percutaneous removal of stones, a tube is inserted into the gallbladder to drain the bile blocked by the stones.

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Diet for gallstones

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Prevention of gallbladder stones begins with diet and then physical activity to maintain a healthy weight.

You must avoid frying, processed foods like cookies, cakes, whole milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, and meat that is too fatty.

You should favor foods with a lot of fiber such as fruits, seeds, and vegetables.

You need to cut down on refined sugar and introduce more healthy fats like olive oil or fish oil to help your gallbladder grow contract and empty regularly.

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Heartburn at night can be gallstones

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The pain generated by the gallbladder is often confused with acid reflux and heartburn because the sensations are similar.

If heartburn wakes you up at night or hits you after a meal that is too rich, the problem may not be gastric reflux but the manifestation of gallstones.

You will then experience moderate discomfort for about fifteen minutes or more intense pain which can last for hours.

If a stone is lodged in the bile ducts and is blocking the passage of bile, you will experience very severe pain near the stomach on the right side of the abdomen.

Antacid drugs do not provide any relief.

Consider these signs and realize that you may have gallbladder trouble so you can see a doctor quickly.

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Liver and gallbladder cleanse

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You will find many sites promoting a detox method that would allow gallbladder stones to naturally evacuate.

There are several best practices.

Increased consumption of apples or apple juice in the days preceding the cleansing is recommended to liquefy the bile.

Then, the method suggests drinking a mixture of Epsom salts and water at regular intervals before ingesting half a glass of olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice.

The goal is then to lie down and try to sleep normally, then when you wake up, naturally evacuate the waste and stones lodged in the digestive system.

It is therefore in this effect of diarrhea and the stools quickly expelled that this technique finds its reason for being.

You are supposed to find tiny green stones in the toilet which are not stones but debris that were agglomerated in the liver. 

By practicing this technique several times, you will notice that this debris is less and less numerous and you will feel a surge of energy.

 

This tempting method for people with gallbladder disease is controversial.

Deemed to be miraculous by some, it can also prove very distressing for others.

Apart from the risk of allergy to Epsom salt, it is not easy to ingest a pure fatty substance like olive oil for someone who feels nauseous as soon as the diet is too rich.

It can therefore be beneficial for some but dangerous for others.

In any case, this “cure” is very exhausting and requires two or three days of inactivity to recover without a guarantee of the result. 

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Not treating gallstones can be dangerous

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If the stones are left untreated, they can cause an infection that can trigger acute cholecystitis.

If the body is successful in controlling the infection, the person can heal on his own.

But many times, he does not succeed and has to undergo proper treatment and ensure adequate hydration.

If the infection overwhelms the body’s defenses, the gallbladder may become gangrene before perforating, spreading the infection throughout the abdomen (biliary peritonitis).

This is an absolute emergency requiring highly invasive surgery.

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Banana and gallstones

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A diet high in fiber and unsaturated fat is recommended to avoid gallbladder pain and to avoid stones.

You should know that an average banana contains 3 grams of fiber or about 12% of the recommended daily rate.

A constant intake of fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of developing gallstones.

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Lemon and gallstones

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Lemon is well known for its detoxifying and purifying properties.

In the case of the gallbladder, lemon has a direct action on the production of bile while liquefying it.

It also helps dissolve the stones present when they are not too large.

To reap all its benefits, you can simply drink lemon water (organic lemon) every day.

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Baking soda gallstone

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Baking soda has multiple benefits in many areas.

For health, it is often used to fight stomach pain and cramps.

Its action on the gallbladder is to regulate blood acidity while controlling the cholesterol level, which is the very cause of stone formation.

For simple use, dilute 1 teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water and drink it at bedtime.

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Honey and gallbladder

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Gallstones can lead to infection of the gallbladder.

Honey is well known for its antibacterial properties, so it will directly fight inflammation and pain.

Mix two teaspoons of Ceylon cinnamon and a tablespoon of honey (if possible Manuka honey (#ad) in a cup of hot water and drink it slowly once a day.

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How to clean the gallbladder naturally

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Some supplements can aid digestion, stimulate bile production, thin it, fight stones and sometimes even eliminate them.

These are the most recommended:

 

• Milk thistle

Milk thistle is a plant of the Asteraceae family well known for its cleansing properties of the liver and gallbladder due to its active ingredient, silymarin.

It is very indicated in the treatment of liver diseases and helps to drain any toxic substance that could cause poisoning.

Very appreciated for its antioxidant properties, it also helps in the elimination of gallstones when they are not too large and regulates the production of bile in prevention.

Note that Milk thistle (#ad) also has an action on dyspepsia, stomach pain or heaviness, nausea, and constipation.

It is also a valuable ally in the fight against chronic hypotension.

 

• Linden sapwood

Sapwood is the tender part of the bark of the lime tree.

It is well known for its particularly effective draining properties on the kidneys, intestines, liver, and gallbladder.

Its virtues are invaluable, it is antioxidant, antispasmodic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and venous tonic.

If we think that it only improves digestive comfort, we must not forget the fact that it eliminates the sludge and crystals that form gallstones and kidney stones.

Note that you must use the sapwood linden in phial (#ad) to dilute or in sticks for decoction. The capsules have no effect.

 

• Dandelion

Dandelion or lion’s tooth is a perennial herbaceous plant well known for its diuretic, bile duct (which helps the gallbladder to eliminate), choleretic (which stimulates the liver).

Its impact on the digestive sphere is positive and it significantly reduces bloating and constipation.

It also has a direct action on gallstones and kidney stones and helps in their elimination.

Note that dandelion root (#ad) is formally contraindicated in cases of bile duct obstruction, intestinal obstruction, duodenal ulcer, and renal failure.

 

• Artichoke

Artichoke contains polyphenols, these antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals.

It has a protective effect on the liver, stimulates the secretion of the gallbladder, and helps to eliminate bile (cholagogue action). 

Artichoke leaves contain cynarin, which is credited with its choleretic action (stimulating the liver).

Note that in addition to relieving digestive disorders, artichoke (#ad) lowers blood cholesterol and relieves irritable bowel syndrome.

Do not use artichoke if the bile ducts are obstructed.

 

• Black radish and gallbladder

Black radish is a common vegetable containing sulfur, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, minerals, and vitamins.

It is used to improve liver and biliary function.

It is its sulfur compounds called glucosinolates that allow it to drain the liver and gallbladder while eliminating toxins.

Note that it is very beneficial for the digestive system and effectively combats dyspepsia, bloating, acid reflux, nausea, and irritable gut.

Do not use the black radish (#ad) if your gallstones are diagnosed.

 

• Liver complex

For practicality and if no plant is against you, you can directly target a liver complex that brings together the most effective plants.

You will find in this detox complex (#ad) Milk Thistle, Artichoke, and Dandelion Root.

 

• Detox formula
  

This food supplement tested by me and consisting of Milk Thistle, Artichoke, Choline, Dandelion Root, Alfalfa, Celery Seed, Burdock Root, Yellow Dock, Grape Seed Extract, Turmeric, Red Raspberry, Berberine and Ginger has the particularity of triggering intense liver detoxification to eliminate toxins from the body.

The impact of Liver Cleanse (#ad) results in enhanced support for the production of fluidized bile.

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How to heal gallbladder?

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We are not going to lie to each other, it is not so easy to treat a gallbladder problem and even more so when it is congested stones.

But there are ways to relieve seizures, space out the heaviness, and lessen the pain.

The key is to control your diet well so as not to be betrayed by a dish that is too spicy or too rich.

We can also set up a plan by combining supplements that can stimulate the production of bile, liquefy it and fight against the formation of sludge which can lead to stones.

So I am not going to lie in writing here that I no longer suffer from gallbladder but have learned to manage it over the years so that it disturbs me as little as possible and that it does not ignite.

I got there. I do not doubt that you will succeed too.

 * Recommendation:

The liver and gallbladder cleanse (#ad)

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What does acalculous mean?

You can suffer from a gallbladder without it being cluttered with stones.
The medical term is alithiasis or acalculous.
It causes pain due to anatomical or functional disorders but does not present any obstruction.

How to remove sludge in the gallbladder?

We call gallbladder sludge the modified bile that, instead of containing only water and bile salts, is thickened by the presence of calcium bilirubin, micro-crystals of cholesterol, and mucin.
This mud which is deposited in a layer at the bottom of the gallbladder is often asymptomatic but can also cause pain and ultimately cause stones.

Coke and gallstone

It is not recommended to consume too many sugary or sweetened sodas when suffering from the gall bladder.
This does not mean that Coke, for example, is prohibited, but that it is preferable to consume it in moderation.
On the other hand, there is no scientific evidence to support a total ban on soft drinks.

* Read more:

13 ways to cleanse the liver naturally

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This article contains affiliate links echoing my recommendations.
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This process does not affect my opinions in any way but each purchase helps this blog to live – Marie

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