Gall Bladder Disorder

Read about Gall Bladder Disorder presented in simple easy to understand language

Gall bladder is a small pear-shaped organ which is connected to the liver by a hepatic duct. It is approximately 7.6 to 10.2 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Its main function is to store and concentrates bile. This Bile helps in the digestion of fat.

When we intake food containing fat it will reach the small intestine, then the hormone cholecystokinin is produced by cells in the walls of intestine and is carried to the gall bladder through the bloodstream. This hormone makes the gall bladder to contract, forcing bile into the common bile duct. Then a valve will open up when food present in the intestine, which allows the bile to flow from the common bile duct into the duodenum or upper intestine, where the bile functions in processing of fat digestion. Sometimes the substances present in the bile crystallize in the gall bladder, forming gallstones.

Gallstones are like solid stones which are found in the gall bladder and are formed due to cholesterol, calcium, and bile salts. And the research shows that 80-90% of all gallstones are cholesterol gallstones. All though there is no definite theory to explain about the Gall Bladder disorder, but most of the researchers say that this is do to the changes dietary habits.

Various problems that lead to the formation of gall stones include the following
• diabetes, high cholesterol
• After stomach surgery
• some drugs and medicines, which reduces gallbladder motility and increases cholesterol saturation of bile.
• The hormonal changes of pregnancy
• Obesity may cause the stone formation
• Some food may be the reason in the formation of stones.
• Poor dietary choices with excess consumption of fatty foods, dairy products and fried foods
• break down of blood seen in patients with childhood anemia's
• Infection of the gall bladder
• Production of toxic bile by the liver
• Inadequate production of bile by the liver

Some of the peoples believe Gall Bladder 'serves no purpose' often very keen to remove the gall bladder. But this is not the truth because it produces the bile which is a very 'expensive' biochemical process. The gall bladder is very important as it takes a lot of workload off the liver. If the gall bladder is diseased and dysfunctional, it is often due to the fact that the liver is under stress and is also dysfunctional. A dysfunctional liver will tend to produce toxic unhealthy bile. Read More...