Sediment in the gallbladder is a rather dangerous condition that subsequently leads to the formation of large stones that can block the release of bile into the gastrointestinal tract. In scientific medical circles, this phenomenon is called biliary sludge. In Russian, this term literally sounds like "bilious sludge" or "dirt". A mixture of small particles from crystals of calcium s alts, cholesterol and other elements eventually turns into conglomerates hazardous to he alth.
Sediment in the cavity of the gallbladder, and most importantly, the reasons for its appearance, are still being studied by modern science. Unambiguous answers to the question of what it is formed from have not yet been found. But there are several research-backed causes of this GI problem.
Causes of sediment in the gallbladder
The causes are diverse and, as a rule, several of them are needed at once for the syndrome to begin to develop:
- Eating disorders. Even if ona few days to refuse the use of fats, the outflow of bile stops. As a result of stagnation in the bile, sediment begins to accumulate. But on the other hand, an excess of fatty foods causes cholesterol deposits.
- Dramatic weight loss, aggravated by lack of physical activity, affects the tone of the gallbladder, therefore, this leads to stagnation of bile.
- Curvature of the bladder neck is accompanied by biliary stasis.
- Professional activities associated with prolonged immobility.
- Stagnation of bile is provoked by curvature of the spine. It does not matter whether it is an acquired pathology or one that appears during fetal development.
- Irregular eating affects the inadequate secretion of bile.
- Precipitation is formed during pregnancy, during the period of intoxication.
- When taking medical medications, the gallbladder becomes inflamed, the flaky sediment in this situation grows even faster than with other reasons.
- Due to viral, bacterial and hepatic pathologies, the work of the bile ducts is disturbed. The bile sediment quickly turns into large crystals, and subsequently into larger conglomerates.
- Organ transplantation usually upsets the cholesterol balance. This, in turn, causes sediment on the walls of the bladder. Given this feature of the body, in the postoperative period, it is imperative to adhere to dietary nutrition, even if the operation was performed on organs that are not related to the gastrointestinal tract.
You need to understand that the wall sedimentof the gallbladder, thickening over time, disrupts the trophism in the gallbladder, and this, in a high degree of probability, leads to oncological diseases of the gallbladder itself and its surrounding organs. This is especially noticeable in adulthood. Of course, it happens that sediment accumulates in the gallbladder in a child, but due to the rapid metabolism and growth of the body, the internal trophic content of children is still higher than in adults.
Symptoms of Biliary Sludge
Symptoms of sediment in the gallbladder resemble inflammation of the organ or cholecystitis. But only a professional doctor will be able to distinguish between these two conditions, so you should definitely consult a doctor if you experience the following signs of illness:
- Pain on the right side of the abdomen, under the ribs. This happens after or before eating, meaning the pain is intermittent.
- Tongue feels bitter, as if bile has entered the mouth.
- Severe heartburn.
- The patient may experience nausea, sometimes so severe that it ends in vomiting.
- Stool is disturbed - diarrhea replaces constipation and vice versa.
- Gurgling sounds are heard in the stomach, often accompanied by flatulence.
- The person's belly visibly bulges.
Possible Complications
Loose sediment of the gallbladder can bring a person several dangerous conditions. Firstly, this is the most common type of pathology - gallstones. They are not treated with conservativeway, and the danger is quite serious. When the bile duct is blocked, the gastric juice ceases to perform its function, and this will necessarily lead to a variety of pathologies. Up to peptic ulcer.
Secondly, remaining without adequate therapy, sediment in the gallbladder necessarily leads to inflammation of the organ. This is called cholecystitis. And this is the first step to liver failure and other dangerous diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
If the sludge appears on the background of liver failure, hepatitis, or a similar disease, then gallbladder cancer may develop.
Diagnosis of pathology
What does gallbladder sediment mean? This is a light suspension of substances of various densities. Moreover, the syndrome can be of several types of severity. To identify it, special studies are required. But the detection of sediment is aimed not only at ascertaining its presence, the main thing is to find out the reason for its appearance in each individual case. Only then will treatment be directed to the root cause of the syndrome, and not just to eliminate its consequences.
Only a doctor is engaged in diagnostics. First of all, he conducts a survey of the patient in order to find out his lifestyle, food preferences, the presence of chronic diseases and bad habits. Next, an external examination is performed with palpation of the right hypochondrium.
A laboratory study of the patient's urine and blood is required. At the same time, the level of substances such as bilirubin, cholesterol and blood protein is detected. This helps to form an overall picture of the metabolism inthe patient's body.
By duodenal sounding, a sample of bile can be obtained and analyzed. Internal organs are studied using ultrasound equipment. It allows you to visually observe all precipitation and deviations in the organ under study.
For a more accurate and detailed diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging is used. During this follow-up, the presence of pathologies in general of all abdominal organs is checked
Principles of Therapy
Sediment in the gallbladder requires complex treatment. The rate of sediment accumulation in the organ depends on the severity of the syndrome. With a successful diagnosis of pathology in its infancy, it will be enough to follow the rules of nutrition for the period indicated by the doctor. This is usually table number 5 in medical nutrition.
If the form of the syndrome is severe, then drug treatment of sediment in the gallbladder is suggested. The patient takes drugs that dilute bile and strengthen the walls of the gallbladder. The complex of treatment also includes drugs that strengthen the liver. Painkillers are prescribed to relieve pain. Dieting is also a must.
Any appointment is made by a doctor, based on the individual characteristics of the patient and his general condition. Self-medication in this case is extremely dangerous.
If the situation with the syndrome is so severe that conservative treatment does not help, gallbladder surgery is performed.
What are the forecasts
Timely detected syndrome has everythingchances of a cure. The prognosis of treatment is usually positive. Even in a situation where there was a surgical treatment associated with the removal of stones from the gallbladder or even the organ itself, the prognosis remains positive. The past procedure has little effect on the patient's quality of life, of course, provided that all the requirements of the doctors who performed the treatment are met.
Treatment with folk remedies
There is a method of treating the gallbladder with traditional medicine. It is impossible to consider such treatment as the only possible and correct one. It is effective only in combination with conservative treatment, and a qualified specialist can resolve it.
Moreover, the folk remedies used in this case are aimed at flushing the gallbladder and liver and eliminating congestion, but not at all to remove already formed stones.
The most common herbs for making decoctions are corn silk, sage, oregano, hops, St. John's wort, chamomile. You can brew them separately, in a ratio of 1 tbsp. spoon for a glass of water. The grass is poured with boiling water, left for 2 hours in a dark place. After straining the infusion, you can drink 30 g 3 times a day before meals. For greater effect, it is better to drink a decoction of the collection of all the listed herbs. To do this, they are thoroughly mixed and brewed in the indicated way. These charges are effective and safe and are sold in most conventional pharmacies.
Very good with sludge and cholecystitis helps decoction of oats. You need to take 500 g of grains and fill them with 1 literboiling water. Infuse the remedy should be 1 hour. After that, it must be filtered and taken 200 g 3 times a day.
Even a simple compote of pears can flush the gallbladder and even relieve pain in the right hypochondrium. You can just eat two ripe pears.
Beetroot syrup cleanses the liver and gallbladder well. To do this, cut it into small pieces and cook until a thick consistency
You should not expect results from such treatment after a few days. Usually herbal therapy takes from 1 month to six months, the process is long. There are people who drink infusions and decoctions all their lives, just to maintain the normal functioning of the digestive tract.
Table 5
He althy nutrition is recognized as the main method of treating the syndrome. This diet is built in accordance with the principles required in this situation. Firstly, you need to eat at a strictly defined time, then there will be no stagnation of bile. Secondly, it is desirable to eat 5-7 times a day in small volumes. Moreover, portions should not exceed 400 g per meal. Thirdly, it is strictly forbidden to take alcoholic beverages, even in minimal quantities. This substance for the organs of the gastrointestinal tract is a real poison. Fourthly, fried, fatty foods and foods with preservatives are completely excluded from the diet. This causes a strong secretion of bile, which in turn leads to spasms and pain in the right hypochondrium. And the last thing: you can not abuse mushrooms, pastries and sweet carbonated drinks.
Diet number 5 is designed to support the normal functioning of a he althy body. In terms of energyvalues it looks like this:
- proteins - 80 g (25% from plants, 25% from meat);
- fats - 90g (30% from plants);
- carbohydrates - 400g;
- water - 2 liters;
- s alt no more than 10 g.
The energy value of food eaten per day should not exceed 2800 kcal.
One example of table 5 looks like this.
1st day:
- Breakfast - meatballs, semolina porridge, tea.
- Breakfast 2 - dried fruit or fresh apple.
- Lunch - vegetable soup, boiled meat, fruit juice.
- Snack - croutons or biscuits, rosehip broth.
- Dinner - vegetarian cutlets (carrots, zucchini, beets), biscuits, tea.
2nd day:
- Breakfast - a mixture of cottage cheese, sour cream and honey, oatmeal boiled in water, tea.
- Breakfast 2 - 2 baked apples, optional with honey.
- Lunch - vegetable soup, boiled chicken, boiled rice, dried fruit compote.
- Snack - croutons or biscuits, rosehip broth.
- Dinner - boiled fish with vegetable garnish or boiled rice, cheesecake, tea.
- Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of yogurt.
No need to be scared if as a result of such a diet a person lost 5 kg of weight in 1-2 weeks - this is normal. Moreover, the weight will soon normalize, that is, it will stop decreasing, the body will adjust to this diet and it will have enough food for normal functioning.
Prevention measures
In order to prevent the accumulation of sedimentin the gallbladder and prevent the development of various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, preventive measures must be observed. In general, this is not difficult, but it will protect against the development of diseases dangerous to he alth and life.
First of all, you should adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. It is dangerous to eat fast food or eat dry food. No job is worth spending he alth, which, as you know, cannot be bought.
Be sure to move more. And for people who are forced to sit more by the nature of their activities (clerks, drivers, cashiers, etc.), sports are a must.
Sometimes 1 hour of walking or 30 minutes of jogging is enough to completely eliminate many diseases, including the gallbladder. A mandatory requirement in sports is the regularity of training. You need to give up bad habits - smoking and drinking alcohol.
At least 2 times a year you should undergo a medical examination by a doctor, because a lot of diseases are easy to cure at the very beginning of their development. And we must not forget that very dangerous pathologies can be asymptomatic, for example, a stomach or duodenal ulcer. Only at the very end do they manifest themselves as such severe pain that many people simply die from pain shock. It is these diseases that develop their development from cholecystitis and sludge. Thus, an annual medical examination may simply save a person's life.
Conclusion and conclusions
Gall bladder sediment can be a serious problem, so you should take care of your he alth,starting at a young age. Each person manages his life in his own way: someone chooses a long and happy, he althy life, and someone short, not caring about their future.
