What Causes Gallstones?

The gallbladder is located underneath your liver and is one of the most important components of your digestive system. Numerous individuals are unaware of how they function and what causes gallstones. They connect to your common bile duct. As the liver formulates bile, the liquid is stored in the gallbladder until it is used. After eating, the gallbladder releases its product into the bile duct, this transports the bile into the small intestine to facilitate the digestive process.

Gallstones affect more than 25 million Americans each year. Of that number, only 1-3 percent experience noticeable symptoms. Gallstones are hardened digestive fluids and can either be small, or grow to an inch in diameter. It can be difficult to detect any signs that you have gallstones without visiting a gastroenterologist. They can make their presence one when one becomes entrapped in the bile duct. This creates an intense pain that can last for a few minutes to several hours.

Gallstones can sometimes, fall under the category of “gallbladder diseases”. Other conditions that are associated with this category include an inflamed gallbladder or gallbladder cancer. For more information about gallstones, or if you think are affected, please contact Beverly Hills Center for Digestive Health and schedule an appointment.