Gallbladder Attacks

The gallbladder is an organ that you do not need to survive, but nonetheless it can cause quit a few problems and sometimes even pain so severe that the person thinks that they are suffering from a heart attack! Fortunately, when the gallbladder attacks it is usually not that severe, although the symptoms can last for several hours. There are ways to prevent such attacks and also medical possibilities to solve persevering and severe cases of attacks due to the gallbladder and gallstones.  

For most people when the gallbladder attacks there is no reason to rush to the emergency room or even to the doctor. It is recommended to have a painkiller like Tylenol or something else with ibuprofen on hand since that is more often than not enough to relieve the symptoms. These mild to moderate symptoms of an attack include a nauseous feeling or queasiness, belching, gas and pain on the right side of the body under the ribs or in the upper abdominal area. Frequently these attacks occur after eating a fatty or greasy meal and so they are usually avoided by simply not eating such foods at all or only infrequently. Other foods that should be avoided and which are known to trigger an attack include onions, pork, eggs, milk, coffee, oranges, beans, corn, nuts and poultry. On the other side, more fiber helps prevent and ward off future gallbladder attacks, as well as dandelion and artichoke which help the gallbladder drain bile.  

Not everyone gets off easy if their gallbladder attacks, though. Some people may have such attacks only once every few years, but others have them every few weeks or days and the pain is also excruciating. If the pain is chronic and there seems to be no sign of it diminishing any time soon, then there is nothing like the removal of the gallbladder complete with all of its gallstones. Now there is a less invasive method of removal that involves lasers and most patients do not even have to stay overnight in the hospital. There are not many risks involved and it is worth undergoing just to get rid of the pain.