Gallstones

Stones or hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder are called gallstones. The stones or lumps are made up of cholesterol. The gall bladder is an organ situated beneath the liver in the abdomen. The gall bladder collects and stores bile, a combination of fluid, fat, and cholesterol. Bile helps in the digestion or breakdown of food. Gallstones frequently cause abdominal pain and can lead to infections if not removed. There are two main types of gallstones: Cholesterol gallstones – Made of undissolved cholesterol, and the most common Pigment Gallstones – Made of bilirubin.

Symptoms of gallstone are as below:

• Sudden abdominal pain
• Back pain between shoulders
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Pain in the right shoulder
• Indigestion
• Dark urine
• Jaundice: yellow skin or eyes

Causes

• Bile containing too much cholesterol
• Bile containing too much bilirubin
• Not enough bile salts
• Gall bladder doesn’t empty completely or often enough
• Obesity 
• Pregnancy
• Intake of high-fat diet
• Intestinal diseases
• Diabetes