Health and Fitness Facts

Due to inappropriate diet and obesity, many people suffer from gall bladder disease. Gall bladder disease commonly affects overweight people as a result of high blood cholesterol levels. The consumption of foods that are rich in fat also contributes to the development of gall bladder disease and many people suffer from gall bladder affections as a consequence of inappropriate diet.

Gall bladder disease is usually caused by gallstones, solid structures formed from cholesterol, calcium and bile salts. Gallstones can cause cholecystitis (inflammation and swelling of the gall bladder), choledocholithiasis (occurs when gallstones accumulate inside the bile duct) cholangitis (infection of the gall bladder and bile duct) and pancreatitis.

Judging by the seriousness of gall bladder disease and its rate of development, there are two forms of the disorder: chronic cholecystitis (biliary colic) and acute cholecystitis. In the chronic form, the symptoms of gall bladder disease are milder and have a recidivating character. In the acute forms, the symptoms of gall bladder disease are very intense and in some cases suggest the development of complications.

The generalized symptoms of gall bladder disease are: abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting, nausea, bloating of the abdomen, discomfort and pain when ingesting fatty foods. These symptoms of gall bladder disease are common in patients with chronic cholecystitis. However, apart from gall bladder pain, many patients may have no other symptoms of gall bladder disease. Gall bladder pain is characteristic to all people who suffer from gall bladder disease and it usually occurs after meals. This major symptom of gall bladder disease usually intensifies at night and after physical effort.

Persistent bitter taste in the mouth, bad breath and headaches can also be symptoms of gall bladder disease. Other symptoms of gall bladder disease are constipation and discolored stools.

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