Definition of Gallstones

According to Mayo Clinic, gallstones can be as tiny as a sand grain or as large as a golf ball. Physicians diagnose gallstones using blood tests, abdominal ultrasounds and other diagnostic measures. When gallstones become symptomatic, your physician may indicate a cholecystectomy, gallbladder removal or gallstone-dissolving medications.

Significance

• "Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder," according to Mayo Clinic.

Identification

• Although many people with gallstones never experience symptoms, gallstones may cause other symptoms if they become dislocated in a duct and cause a blockage. These symptoms include sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen, back pain and right shoulder pain.

Types

• Cholesterol gallstones and pigment gallstones are the two common types of gallstones. Cholesterol gallstones are typically yellow and comprise mainly cholesterol while pigment gallstones are typically dark brown or black and contain bilirubin, a chemical that breaks down red blood cells in your gallbladder.

Causes

• Although physicians are not certain why gallstones develop, they believe that cholesterol and bilirubin overproduction in the bile, the digestive fluid in your gallbladder, contributes to gallstone development. Additionally, when your gallbladder does not empty efficiently, the bile may become over concentrated and also contribute to gallstone formation.

Prevention/Solution

• To prevent gallstones, maintain strict meal schedules, stay physically active and maintain a healthy weight according to your physician's advice.