How to Treat Gallbladder Symptoms

Gallbladder symptoms can be painful and debilitating. If you have gallbladder disease, you have ongoing pain in the gallbladder, which is located under and to the side of the liver. The gallbladder is a small sack that stores bile from the liver. The bile is then used to help digestion. Pain occurs when the gallbladder becomes inflamed. Acute, sudden pain happens when gallstones form, which is caused by too much cholesterol buildup in the bile. Symptoms can also include gas and bloating. Treat both types of gallbladder symptoms by following these steps.

Things You'll Need

• Antibiotics

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Instructions

• 1

  See a doctor. This may seem obvious, but many people try to treat gallbladder symptoms by eating less fatty food, or by taking herbs. These things are helpful, but it's important to rule out an infection. If you do have an infection, you must take antibiotics to treat your gallbladder symptoms.

• 2

  Have your gallbladder removed. While helpful, the gallbladder is not vital to the function of the digestive system. If you have severe gallbladder disease or an ongoing gallstone problem, your doctor may suggest removing it entirely.

• 3

  Change your eating habits. Alcohol, fat and eating excessively can all contribute to and aggravate the symptoms of gallbladder disease. These things can also cause gallstones. By changing your eating habits to more healthy ones, you can cut down on the symptoms of gallbladder problems.

• 4

  Use ultrasonic waves to break up the gallstones, if that is what is causing you the pain. This treatment is becoming more common and is also used to break up kidney stones.

• 5

  Give up caffeine, or severely limit your intake. For many people, caffeine seems to trigger gallbladder attacks of pain and nausea. Giving up caffeine should reduce your symptoms.