The life of a working person living paycheck to paycheck, as a salaried employee, truly believes there is nothing more satisfying than rewarding oneself by eating delicious food, whether it’s a buffet, shabu-shabu, barbecue, etc. Because the taste of these foods helps soothe us, relieving fatigue and bringing happiness. However, many may forget that fried foods, grilled foods, and high-fat foods are major causes of many serious diseases. One dangerous disease that many may not be familiar with but is increasingly common nowadays is “gallstones.” If you have it, the best treatment is surgery!!
What are gallstones? Get to know them to stay as far away and safe as possible
Gallstones are solid deposits that accumulate inside the gallbladder. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a kaffir lime. These deposits can number in the hundreds, blocking the gallbladder. The gallbladder’s function is to concentrate bile, keeping it ready to be released to mix with food. Bile traps fat to help absorb it into the body. Therefore, when gallstones form, the gallbladder’s function becomes abnormal, affecting its system. If a stone blocks the main bile duct, it can cause pancreatitis, which can be life-threatening. Gallstones can be classified into two types:
- Cholesterol stones: The most common type, accounting for about 80% of gallstone patients. They form due to excess cholesterol, which clumps together causing the gallbladder to malfunction.
- Pigment stones: Less common than cholesterol stones, these are smaller and often found in patients with liver cirrhosis or blood disorders such as anemia.
What risk factors lead us to be at risk of gallstones?
Observing the types of gallstones, the most common type is cholesterol stones. This reflects that our eating habits play a significant role in causing this disease. However, there are other contributing factors as well. The risk factors that increase the chance of developing gallstones include:
- Obesity is the main cause that increases the risk the most because it causes an increase in cholesterol in bile.
- Eating high-fat foods, liking buffets, barbecue, etc., causes obesity and leads to high cholesterol in bile.
- Disliking exercise and not eating vegetables.
- Age over 40 years, as metabolism worsens, cholesterol accumulation increases, raising the risk.
- Gallstones are more common in women than men.
- Women who take birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy have a higher risk of gallstones because estrogen increases cholesterol levels in the gallbladder.
- If there is a family history of gallstones, the risk is even higher.
How to recognize symptoms to know if you are at risk of gallstones
The danger of gallstones is that the disease does not show clear symptoms in the early stages. Most patients only find out after a detailed health check. However, we can observe abnormal symptoms that may signal gallstones, including:
- Frequent nausea and vomiting
- Bloating, indigestion, and poor digestion
- A burning sensation in the chest and gas in the stomach
- After eating fatty foods, often experiencing heartburn and fullness in the upper abdomen
- Severe pain in the upper right abdomen, continuous for a long time
- In cases of gallbladder inflammation, there may be fever, pain under the right rib cage at the gallbladder location, and possibly jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Laparoscopic gallstone surgery: quick recovery and back to normal
For gallstones, once diagnosed by a doctor, the best treatment is “surgery.” Traditional surgery involves opening the abdomen, causing a large wound, significant trauma, blood loss, high risk, and long recovery time. However, with advances in medical technology, “laparoscopic small incision surgery” is now safer, less risky, and allows much faster recovery. This surgery involves making three small incisions less than 1 cm each, inserting a camera and small surgical instruments through the abdominal wall to perform the operation. Patients recover very quickly, usually able to go home within 1-2 days and return to normal life within a week.
Good to know for better self-care
Currently, laparoscopic gallbladder surgery is the standard treatment. If left untreated, symptoms can worsen and become life-threatening. However, there are additional important points to understand about gallstone surgery as follows:
- Patients who have undergone laparoscopic gallstone surgery should eat more vegetables and fish and reduce fatty foods to promote better health.
