I have seen a fair number of folks over the years with “gall bladder” stuff. Usually women but also men!
The most common symptom is pain after eating anything fatty, greasy or oily. It can come on gradually, suddenly, pass after a few minutes or even last for hours or days. Pain usually starts just under the right breast (in the area of the liver because the GB is just under the edge).
The pain can stay local to that area, radiate out in all directions, radiate to the left side, or radiate mostly to the right side and around to the right shoulder blade.
A chronically dysfunctional GB often leads to acute GB “attacks”. And while GB issues are usually a chronic thing, the acute attacks are treatable. A Naturopathic Doctor would be my choice to get to the root cause of this and clear it up. If you are considering surgery, you might want to at least do a consult with one to see if you can keep your GB.
The official term for inflammation of the GB is cholecystitis and most of the time this is not an emergency life or death situation although it sure can feel like it. But sometimes it is. The pain can come from a stuck gallstone, from an inflammation in the GB and even from the vagus nerve.
If the following things or other things your doc may have suggested do not alleviate the pain and it is extreme and not resolving, consider getting in to urgent care…the risk? GB rupture or systemic infection.
I have only had 1 person in 20 years need to go to urgent care and even then, I sent her with a homeopathic remedy and by the time she got there the symptoms had started to ease up…but better safe than sorry.
Having said all that disclaimer stuff, what’s in my good old doctor’s bag for this?
Water – sipping cold water with deep breathes between.
Breath work – this is the first thing to do at the first hint of pain. Stop what you are doing and stand in a relaxed position or lie down with your head elevated. Breathe in deeply to the count of 4, hold for the count of 4, breathe out to the count of 8, hold for the count of 4. Repeat for 10 min. This calms the vagus nerve.
Ginger – one of the simplest and fastest acting things is ginger. I have folks keep ginger chews stocked up and tell them to eat one just before any meal with fats or oils, including butter, lard, olive oil, fatty meats, etc. Then I have them eat one right after. They can also sip on ginger tea, hot or cold, throughout their meal.
Enzymes with lipase – this is the enzyme that helps break down fats when you eat them, along with the bile made by your liver and stored in the gall bladder. Take your favorite enzyme 20 minutes before you eat and 1 right after.
Magnesium – I like Natural Vitality CALM. This can almost immediately relax a spasm which is sometimes the cause of the pain in a GB attack. Dosing is on the container. Some folks can get loose stools with Mg so stay near a bathroom for a few hours.
Positioning – lifting the hips. If you lie flat on your back and put your hands under your hips to give them a slight lift this may alleviate the pain. If you can find 2 small really flat pillows this would work as well.
𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬
Potentized remedies in 30C or 200C, Boiron is a good brand. There are a number of remedies which might be indicated but these are the most common I have used over the years.
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨 𝐯𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬 (𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛-𝐯) can be a wonderful little remedy for pain radiating from the GB especially after a fatty meal. Usually, when this remedy is needed, the person feels a little better after a really good burp, or several good burps. They may feel better after drinking carbonated water which seems to increase burping. The pain can be sharp, dull, but is usually right sided. It may radiate around the right side of the body.
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐦 (𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥) is often the remedy that is needed with persistent right sided pain, just to the left of or above the liver. Burping and passing gas do not usually help the pain. The pain usually radiates to the right and into the right scapula area.
𝐋𝐲𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 (𝐋𝐲𝐜) should be considered with lots of bloating, feeling of being overly full, discomfort with tight things around the belly and a relief when loosening pants waistband, relief of pain following the passing of gas is a big one. As compared to Carb-v which is better after burping.
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚 (𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜-𝐜) can be considered when there is a history of gallstones, poor and slow digestion, a swollen right abdomen that is sensitive to pressure. Pains are cutting and extend to the chest, pains are often worse from stooping.
Hope that helps!
