So in 1990 a new technique was introduced to remove the gallbladder with a smaller scar, when this happened the frequency of gallbladder removal has risen almost 60%. This is especially true for the United States because gallbladder problems are extremely prevalent.
However, the gallbladder plays an important role in digestion and in keeping you healthy.
Before having your gallbladder removed consider that abdominal pain could have many other causes. In fact, gallbladder symptoms may be difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of other conditions.
In order to differentiate gallbladder pain from other types of pain, it’s important to know its characteristics. Gallbladder pain:
-
Tends to be intense, making it hard to carry on daily activities.
-
Often lasts longer than 15 minutes
-
Is consistently painful
-
Does not become less severe with position changes and passing gas
Other types of abdominal pain that does not share all of the traits above may be caused by digestive conditions like:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Heart burn or Acid Reflux Disease
- Pancreatitis, which is also associated with gallstones
Dr. Marina Rose has helped people with gallbladder symptoms and other challenging, chronic health conditions in and around the city of San Francisco, CA.
Gallbladder symptoms can mimic other digestive disorders. It’s important to work with a qualified health care professional to determine the source of your symptoms. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help prevent gallbladder symptoms, as Dr. Andrew Weil has also stated.
When you need natural solutions for gallbladder symptoms, click here to find out how Functional Nutrition can help you. Take our Nutritional Profile Quiz and get your results immediately.