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Posted by on Oct 4, 2014 in Ailments, Ailments G-M | 0 comments

Gallbladder Attacks

What are the symptoms of a gallbladder attack?

Gallbladder attacks can be both very painful and frightening. It is easy to understand why so many people opt for gallbladder surgery after experiencing even one gallbladder attack. But there are both natural supplements and natural foods that can manage gallbladder disease to help prevent both surgery and the discomfort of gallbladder colic.

Symptoms may include one or more of the following:

chest pain in the right side (caused by stones in the bile duct or inflammation or swelling of the gallbladder itself). Nausea or queasiness, vomiting and gas are frequent. There may or may not be belching or burping. The gall bladder, which sits just below the rib cage to the right of the stomach, is very tender to touch. It can be so painful that it takes your breath away.

You may not be able to walk without bending over. Sometimes the pain radiates through to the back shoulder blade on the right side or in the middle between the shoulder blades. This is pain from the gallbladder referring to the back of the shoulder. This back shoulder blade chest pain is one of the most common yet unknown symptoms of a gallbladder disorder. This can come and go or be constant. It may be sharp, excruciating or dull. It may also occur especially at night.

A gallbladder attack will typically last for one to four hours.

 

Is this a gallstone attack or what else could it be?

Pain in the right side of the chest or in the upper right quadrant (area) of the body can be due to more than gallbladder problems. The differential diagnosis should be done by examination and questioning by your doctor.

If the pain is severe, tests may be done to rule out stomach, pancreas, liver or gallbladder. If you have come to this site, you have some suspicion yourself that your gallbladder is involved. The questionnaire provided for you is a helpful indicator since additional gallbladder symptoms help to confirm your suspicions. Pain alone is not usually enough. If the pain is located mid-center beneath the rib cage, this can also be gallbladder related. Appendicitis pain can also be referred to the mid-center.

 

What causes gallbladder attacks?

The pain can come from a stone making its way down the biliary duct or bile tube toward the duodenum of the small intestine. It can also be caused by a back up of bile in the gallbladder (with or without stones) that causes it to swell from fullness causing discomfort. Or it can come from an infected gallbladder itself that becomes inflammed known as cholecystitis.

That’s what’s happening in the moment. But the underlying causes of stone forming or bile thickening or low-functioning gallbladder are important to understand in order to heal the root of the problem. Hypothyroidism is a major conrtibuting cause to gallbladder disease of all kinds. The thyroid is responsible for metabolism and when it is not working optimally, metabolism in general slows down. Your digestion may be slower, the bowels may be slower, gallbladder emptying may be slower, even thinking may be slower. Food allergies are also major contributors to gallbladder disease. They cause a histamine release that can cause excessive fluid in the bile ducts, causing them to back up. It is important to isolate those specific foods by eliminating them and introducing them back in one at a time and watch for reactions, so that you know just what is causing the problem.

 

Gallbladder Pain Relief Recipes

 BEET RECIPE Treatment for Gallbladder Pain

 Coarsely grate 1 large organic beet or beetroot (raw) washed (not peeled unless not organic)

Add juice of lemon to taste (about 1/4 lemon

1-2 Tbsps flax oil

 (Flax oil is by far the superior choice here as it is an omega 3 essential fatty acid, but if you are insulin resistant, use olive oil.)

Take one teaspoon of mixture every hour throughout the day.

On day two and three make a fresh batch using ¼ of a large beet.

Take one teaspoon of mixture 3 to 4 times a day or more.

 

Make this mixture to add to your salads frequently or eat alone as above 2 or 3 times a week. This will keep the bile thin and moving. Note: If you cannot get organic beets, be sure to peel them. Otherwise, use the peel as well.

Beets in any form are an excellent food for both the liver and the gallbladder.

Eat your regular meals throughout this period, striving to eat lots of fresh vegetables, good fats and to avoid refined sugars and processed foods.

 

Flax Seed Tea Recipe

Useful during a gallbladder attack.

Boil 1 Tbsp of organic flax seeds in 2 1/2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Steep 10 minutes. Strain and sip slowly.

Green Soup Recipe for Relief of Gallbladder Pain

One bunch parsley

3 medium zucchini

½ lb. Green beans

5 stalks celery

Steam together for 8-10 minutes.

Or partially steam and boil in ½ cup water.

If you have a steamer, you retain more nutrients and flavor with that method.

Puré in a blender.

 

NOTE: THIS SOUP IS NOT FOR A GALLBLADDER ATTACK!

 

Use the Flax Seed Tea. Liquids are best during an attack. You could try the Beet Recipe. Many find it helps, but others do better with just liquids. It is wonderful for relief from all sorts of gastric disturbances such as stomach pain, gas, and indigestion. I do not add any fat or salt to this recipe. It can be used anytime but is particularly useful as a three day fast with nothing else but water. It is both nourishing and easy to digest. You can alter the amounts to taste. More beans add more sweetness.

 

For Relief from Pain

Flax Seed Tea Recipe Boil 1 Tbsp of organic flax seeds in 2 1/2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Steep 10 minutes. Strain and sip slowly. Buy organic flax seed from your local health food store or order it online from Omega Nutrition.

 

Cucumbers and/or cucumber juice

Aloe vera juice may also help the pain

 

Foods Helpful for Gallstones:

USE ORGANIC FOODS

Fresh vegetable juices as mentioned above (beet and cucumber especially)

Drink lots of water – very important

Garlic and garlic oil

Avocados

Artichokes

Ginger root

Coconuts

Grapes and freshly pressed grape juice (organic grapes only) are especially helpful

Apples particularly including apple juice

apricots, berries, casaba melons, currants, figs, guavas, lemons, pears, prunes

Tumeric (organic)

Flax oil

Radishes help to dissolve gallstones but may cause some discomfort. Do not use them until your symptoms are gone and then only if they do not disagree with you.

 

Foods to Avoid for Gallstones:  Same list above for general gallbladder problems above. Take special note of the foods most likely to cause gallbladder attacks:

eggs, pork, gluten, onion, fowl, milk, cheese, butter and other dairy, coffee, grapefruit, oranges, corn, beans and nuts, alcohol, saturated fats, hydrogenated oils and partially hydrogenated oils

 

NOTE: green beans are not classified as beans.