Gall bladder symptoms – the non-surgical alternatives
Bad lifestyle habits, poor eating habits, obesity are some reasons why so many people suffer from gall bladder symptoms. The gall bladder disease mostly affects those who are overweight and with hypercholesterolemia.
There is so much research that says consuming fat-rich foods leads gall bladder disease and people suffer from gall bladder symptoms due to inappropriate diet and eating habits.
The gall bladder disease or inflammation is also referred to as cholecystitis and from the seriousness point of view the gall bladder disease is of two types: chronic cholecystitis and acute cholecystitis.
In chronic the gall bladder symptoms are mild but are relapsing in nature. However, in acute cholecystitis, the gall bladder symptoms are sharp and intense.
In either case the gall bladder symptoms include pain in the abdomen, indigestion and constipation, nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal bloating, etc. The symptoms are very common in those who especially suffer from chronic cholecystitis. The abdominal pain usually occurs after eating a meal and is characteristic symptom in all with gall bladder disease. The pain increases during night and also after physical exertion.
Besides moderating the gall bladder symptoms, treatment for the gall bladder disease is must to prevent progression of the disease to acute cholecystitis, where the gallstones start blocking the ducts and gallbladder becoming inflamed. Acute cholecystitis calls for emergent treatment which may even include hospitalization and surgery, cholecystectomy.
But there are many surgery alternatives these days to cure the gall bladder disease.
Bile acid thinner pills: There are some oral bile medicines that can dissolve bile stones. The pills containing chemicals, chenodiol and ursodiol are shown effective especially against gallstones formed from cholesterol and when the stones are small. The pills enable the gallstones to dissolve.
ESWL is another non-surgical means of treating gall bladder disease. The extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy however is effective when there is a single gallstone that is no bigger than 2 centimeters (diameter). In this treatment patient will be subjected to shockwaves that will fragment the gallstone/s. There will be no incision done to the body. However, very few people qualify for ESWL treatment.
MTBE treatment is another non-surgical treatment option wherein methyl tertiary-butyl ether is injected to the gallbladder, which will dissolve the gallstones. However, there are reports saying that the treatment can have side effects, so it is advised the patient checks if he will be a tolerant candidate for the MTBE treatment.
Percutaneous cholecystostomy is another non-surgical option; however, it is effective only if it is followed by cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder). This is recommended for those who aren’t candidates for cholecystectomy and it involves drawing fluid from gallbladder using needle followed by catheterization via skin for fluid draining. The catheter will be retained for sometime and later the gallbladder is removed.
If you suffer from gall bladder symptoms knowing the treatment options such as gall bladder removal or otherwise non surgical treatment could help you making informed decisions for the treatment. Do not hesitate to discuss all the options with the physician and ask him to recommend the best one for you.
Gall bladder symptoms – avoid complications
Since the cases of people with gall bladder symptoms is increasing by year it pays to know what causes them and how to avoid them.
Gallbladder is a small organ below liver and it stores bile juice that is secreted by the liver. Bile juice contains enzymes that assist with emulsification of fats.
Whenever we consume a diet that is fat loaded, then the gallbladder contracts and releases bile into small intestine through a canal named common bile duct. The bile with its enzymes then helps in the digestion of fats.
Should the gallbladder function the way it should be, then no one is aware of the existence of this bile organ; however, there but sometimes the bile crystallizes and forms into gallstones which can create problems; occasional pain and nausea to as serious as bile duct inflammation and obstruction that lead to pancreatitis.
Why are gallstones formed?
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When the amount of cholesterol or pigment/s (bile consists of two pigments the bilirubin and the biliverdin) present in the bile are exceedingly high.
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Some components in bile itself that lead to bile stone formation.
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Pigment stones (from excessive bile pigments) are formed in people suffering from liver dysfunction and/or in those who have excessive bile pigments.
Incomplete ejection of bile juice due to low muscle tone will also promote formation of gallstones.
What are gallstone symptoms?
Gallstones that are present in the gallbladder often times are no problem. However problem comes if the gallstones are many in number or if they’re large in size. The resultant gallstone symptoms could be abdominal pain to nausea to vomiting to more severe symptoms warranting even removal of gallbladder.
The severe gallstone symptoms are due to blockage of the duct/s by gallstones that connect gallbladder to liver, pancreas or the intestine. The blocking of duct/s often times result in entrapment of bile juice and the digestive enzymes within the duct eventually resulting in inflammation of the gallbladder, pain in the abdomen and if it goes untreated may even lead to organ damage and even death.
How is the gallbladder symptoms addressed?
Gallstone symptoms should be treated because treatment curbs further progression of the symptoms besides alleviating the pain. If not treated, it results in acute cholecystitis wherein gallstones block the bile ducts that inflame the gallbladder. People with severe cholecystitis need hospitalization and treatment with antibiotics and pain meds. If the person doesn’t respond to the antibiotics and/or pain meds upon hospitalization excision of the gallbladder is done, but don’t panic with the word surgery because thankfully our body can do away without this organ.
Some diet and lifestyle habits that contribute to the risk of gall bladder symptoms:
Eating too much per meal
Eating too much and too often
Meal skipping
Stingy in drinking water
Excess protein in the diet
Excess intake of dairy foods
Smoking and alcohol
Refined carbs, sodas, junk foods and high-calorie processed foods. Long term consumption of artificial sweeteners Limiting the above could prevent gall bladder symptoms.
Gallbladder symptoms in children – early symptoms for effective treatment
Cholecystitis is the inflammation of gallbladder and it can be either calculus or acalculus (gallstone related or not gallstone related). Gallbladder symptoms in children are due to gall bladder inflammation (cholecystitis) and chronic cholecystitis that is gallstones related is often the most common form occurring in about 50% of children.
And more than a third of children suffering from the gall bladder inflammation fall under age 11 with two-thirds in the age 11-20 bracket. Gallbladder symptoms without gallstones affect younger children.
While per se the gallbladder problems are not frequent among children, about half of children who have gall bladder issues present gallstones. But most children do not exhibit symptoms. Especially when the stones are too small the symptoms are hardly manifested in children of 10 years and more. But that said, even the small gall stones can be serious threat to the children.
Interestingly studies report that the cholecystitis is affecting girls more than boys especially after puberty. The reason the studies point is to the increased estrogen hormone during puberty in the girls. This can be correlated with list of side effects of oral contraceptive pills. Taking OCPs for long term may result in gallstones. However, before puberty both boys and girls are equally affected.
Family history of biliary disease increase risk of gallbladder symptoms in children. And the early gallbladder symptoms in children can help in effectively alleviating the pain. Abdominal pain that is localized to RUQ and radiating to the back to the shoulder blade is common symptom associated with the gallbladder disease. Vomiting is another symptom and intolerance to intake of fatty foods is another strong indication of the gallbladder concern.
Symptoms prevail until diagnosis of cholecystitis is done. Early gallbladder symptoms in children also include temperature and fever up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with nauseated feeling. The symptoms may last for some hours and if it is chronic may last for a couple of weeks too.
A blood test may reveal high levels of serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase, although in some these may not be indicated.
An abdominal ultrasound scan is very effective to detect the presence of gallbladder disease. But if the disease is caused by stones which are smaller than 3mm diameter, then ultrasound is not an effective means of diagnosis.
The CCK stimulation test; however detects the function or dysfunction thereof of the gallbladder so it can be a conclusive test to detect gallbladder disease. The gallbladder symptoms in children mimic gastrointestinal symptoms, but for pain the in specified location.
The symptoms easily mistaken include fullness or bloating, chills and fever, nausea and vomiting. With the gallstones, pain comes on the right upper quadrant and often it worsens immediately post eating or even during deep breathing and the pain radiates to the right shoulder blade.
Detecting early gallbladder symptoms in children is the first right step to effectively treating it. Do not hesitate to discuss all the options with the physician and ask him to recommend the best one treatment for your child. To know more about gallbladder symptoms in children and treatment alternatives to please feel free to check here: http://www.thegallbladdersymptoms.com/gallbladder-symptoms-in-children/
How to Lose Thigh Fat Fast
Fats getting deposited on your thighs is nothing short of a nightmare for girls. Girls always cry hoarse about annoying fats going and settling in undesired areas like thighs and your behind. But there is hardly anything you can do to avoid that. You cannot stop the fats from going in the direction of your thighs, however, you can always make sure that it does not settle there for a long time. Yes, you can increase fat loss in your thighs by performing exercises specially directed towards your thighs and burning fat in that area. Of course, you also need to watch what you eat. These two things in combination would be a credible answer to how to lose thigh fat fast. Check out the text below if you want those toned thighs.
How to Lose Thigh Fat
Avoid Being a ‘Joey’
All those who have seen the series FRIENDS have a fair idea of Joey’s gastronomic capabilities and habits. Take a cue from that and avoid munching every other sandwich or binging on a bowl of fries or burgers. That adds to the calories ladies! Have a healthy diet and have smaller meals instead of gobbling up bigger amounts 3 times a day. This is the basic thing you need to do to get your thighs in shape.
No Vehicle Zone
Where ever it is possible, walk. If that is not possible, make it a point to walk for a certain distance regularly. Walking exercise is good for burning calories, which would indirectly help you lose weight. In addition to that, if you practice brisk walking, it would surely tone your leg muscles over a period of time. Furthermore, you can also jog or do some running or cycling, which mainly involve your feet muscles.
Exercise Et Al
Well, walking and keeping tabs on what you eat, like low carb diet is certainly going to work. Still, the process is slow. So in addition to these two, you need to do some real killer exercises to get rid of that fat. Here are a few thigh exercises you can do either at home or the best way would be to join a gym.
Quadriceps: This is the best bet for you to lose thigh fat fast and get those thighs toned. To do this, stand with your feet apart, shoulder width. Now just bend your knees and keeping the back straight, go down until your behind is perpendicular to the ground. Go back to the original position and repeat around 40 to 60 times. This is a fantastic exercise to lose thigh fat.
Lunges with Dumbbells: This is amongst those killer techniques which would help you get the coveted, toned thighs. For this, stand upright with feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells in your hands. Do not, however, lift the dumbbells, allow them to hang down the sides of your body. Now keeping your left leg stationary, move your right leg forward, as much as you can. While your right foot lands in front of you, bend both your knees for lowering your body. Get your right foot back in the starting position and follow it up by putting your left foot forward. Repeat these alternating lunges for around 15 times. There are two important things to remember here for making sure that this works. One is that do not flex or bend your knee of the front foot beyond your toes. The other one is that do not let your back leg touch the floor as you stretch.
Leg Raise: Begin with lying flat with your back on the ground or if you have an exercise mat, it would be great. Now breathe in as you lift your legs and exhale while bringing them down. Do not let them touch the floor. Hold the position where your legs are in mid air, around 2 inches from the ground. For great results and a sure shot answer to the issue of how to lose thigh fat fast, do this around 15 times.
Hamstring Exercise: If you want to lose thigh fat fast, this is another effective exercise. Lie down on a mat or an exercise bench on your stomach. Bend your legs in a such a manner that they will be as close as they can be to your buttocks. Repeating this around 20 times will do the trick.
Exercise for Adductors: Lie down on your right side, on a mat, preferably. Now lift your head using your right arm for support. Follow this by lifting your left leg while keeping your right leg steady. Lower your left leg, do not lower it fully. Lower it only after you have lifted it up and down for around 15 to 20 times. Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions for each side for this exercise to produce results.
Well, that was about the methods and things you can do to lose thigh fat fast. Once you are determined, these exercises and following a diet would not be an ordeal for you. After reading all this, do you think how to lose thigh fat fast is such a big deal or such a burning issue? I hope not!
Have a great workout! By Medha Godbole
Long Term Health Care Options
As you grow older, housing may pose more and more of a concern, especially if your health is failing. If you are worried that you may not be able to take care of your basic needs as you age, such as cleaning, cooking, bathing and maintenance, then looking at your long term health care options is an important choice. Let’s start right away with your options.
In-Home Care
In-home health care is the best option for people who have a higher level of fitness, and want to remain as independent as possible throughout their later years. In this situation, home health care nurses may come and visit you daily, or every couple of days, to take care of your everyday medical needs. Also, a housekeeper may be utilized, as well as a personal health care attendant, who would be responsible for more of the day-to-day living help – such as a companion, driver, cook or the like. In-home health care is quite easy to locate; just contact a nurses’ association or look in the Yellow Pages.
Continuing Care
An intermediary between nursing homes and independent living, continuing care, or retirement communities, offer a wide variety of health benefits and services to their inhabitants. These communities are usually all-inclusive, where dwellers receive lodging, meals, social events, varying levels of health care, and sometimes other perks as well.
Entrance fees for these establishments can be quite high (ranging from $10,000 to over 300,000); added to their monthly fees (ranging from $800-4000), and this option can prove to be expensive health care. However, services are guaranteed for the remainder of your life if you choose this option, and if your health falters, you can always be moved to the nursing home portion of their health care facility.
Because of the all-inclusive nature of this kind of health care, you’ll want to read the fine print carefully in your contract. What are all of the recurring and one-time fees? What exactly is covered with those fees? What health care options are, and are not offered? Do you need to purchase extra health insurance to cover your specific care costs? Also don’t forget to check up with the Better Business Bureau about the status of the facility you are interested in; if you plan on living there the rest of your life, you may want to double check it’s reputation, too.
Nursing Homes
In a very simple sense, nursing homes will take care of your health care needs when you are no longer able to. This may be for a short period of time while you are recovering, or for a longer period of time as you age. Nursing homes are the whole meal deal of health care for the elderly or otherwise incapacitated. If this is an option that you think you may require, there are many things to discuss and consider when looking at your options. Does the home provide the type of care that you will require? Research the history of the nursing home; are there any black spots on their record? Talk to people who have lived there, have used their services, or who are still living there now, if at all possible. Get their viewpoint.
By Peter Lenkefi