Gallbladder Problems
The Pear Within
Usually the gallbladder will quietly go about doing its job without drawing attention to itself and it often remains out of sight and out of mind until there is a problem. The problems that can occur with a gallbladder includes inflammation, gallstones, gallbladder disease, and gallbladder cancer. The gallbladder is a small (approximately 8cm x 4cm) pear-shaped organ that is located in the abdomen just below the liver on the right side. Its purpose is to aid in digestion of fats. The organ's job is to release a digestive fluid into the small intestines. The liver produces the fluid in the gallbladder and it is called bile.
The gallbladder of the average adult can hold about 1.7 oz of bile. It is released when foods that have fat in them are eaten and enter the digestive track. The bile emulsifies the fats and absorbs liquids that are in the fatty foods.
The bile that is produced by the liver is stored in the gallbladder and while in the gallbladder, the concentration increases so that it is very effective on fats. The bile contains the following:
- Bile salts
- Phospholipids
- Cholesterol
- Bile pigments (bilirubin)
Bile is continuously produced and drained through ducts into the gallbladder waiting for the signal that fats have been consumed. Once the signal is received then the bile is released into the small intestines. Choleretic agents are substances that increase the amount of bile that is secreted from the liver and the amount of solids that are secreted.
Humans can easily survive without a gallbladder if it has to be removed and the bile has other ways to enter the intestines. Humans are not the only ones with a gallbladder, most vertebrates have a gallbladder, but invertebrates do not have a gallbladder. The vertebrates that do not have a gallbladder are the horse, deer, and the rat. Humans have a single duct running to the intestine, but some species have more than one duct going to the intestines.
Gallstones are the most common gallbladder ailment among people living in the United States. By the time the gallstones are causing symptoms, the damage is done and the gallbladder often needs to be removed. There are different types of gallstones. Other gallbladder problems can include the following:
- A plugged gallbladder duct
- An inflamed gallbladder
- Cancer of the gallbladder
- Chronic gallbladder disease
- Dysfunctional gallbladder
- Infections
- Gallbladder duct blockage (other than stones)
- Defects of the gallbladder
- Gallbladder polyps
- Abscesses in the gallbladder
The symptoms of gallbladder diseases and other problems are usually not identified as a gallbladder problem due to the vagueness of the symptoms. Though gallbladder problems aren't common, when there is a problem with symptoms severe enough to go to the doctor, surgery may be the only treatment. It is best to avoid gallbladder problems with a healthy diet and lifestyle.
The pear within is an important but neglected organ that is known as the gallbladder and is an organ that most people don't know much about, but you can learn more about your gallbladder here at site name.
Gallbladder Symptoms
Do you know the different Gallbladder Symptoms?