Health Information
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Understanding This Symptom
Medical Definition
Subject Matter Expert Verified
Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are hard, pebble-like deposits that form in the gallbladder, a small pear-shaped organ that stores bile produced by the liver.
They develop when bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile acids, causing these substances to crystallize and form stones ranging from grains of sand to golf ball size.
The two main types are cholesterol stones (80-90% of cases, made primarily of hardened cholesterol) and pigment stones (composed of bilirubin), and they can cause severe pain, inflammation, and complications if they block bile flow.
Quick Facts
What Optimal Health Looks Like
Understanding how your body functions when healthy helps identify dysfunction
A healthy gallbladder functions as a specialized storage and concentration organ for bile, a greenish-yellow digestive fluid produced by the liver.
The gallbladder receives bile through the cystic duct, concentrates it by absorbing water and sodium (increasing bile solute concentration 5-10x), and releases it into the duodenum through the common bile duct in response to cholecystokinin (CCK) released during fat ingestion.
Normal bile composition is precisely balanced: approximately 67% bile acids, 22% phospholipids (mainly lecithin), and 4% cholesterol in soluble micellar solution.
This cholesterol solubility is maintained through the balanced ratio of bile acids to cholesterol, with the critical cholesterol saturation index (CSI) remaining below 1.
Healthy Function
Your body is designed to maintain balance and self-regulate
How This Develops
Cholesterol supersaturation - when hepatic cholesterol secretion exceeds the solubilizing capacity of bile acids and phospholipids, cholesterol crystals form in the gallbladder; this occurs through increased cholesterol uptake (Western diet, obesity), decreased bile acid synthesis (genetic factors, ileal disease), or increased estrogen (pregnancy, OCPs); (
Gallbladder hypomotility - impaired emptying allows bile to stagnate, crystals to aggregate, and sludge to form; prostaglandins, inflammation, and autonomic neuropathy contribute to stasis; (
Nucleation factors - mucin gel hypersecretion provides a matrix for crystal aggregation while calcium bilirubinate and bacteria (E
Understanding the mechanism helps us target the root cause rather than just treating symptoms.
What Happens If Left Untreated
Understanding the consequences helps you make informed decisions about your health
Short-Term Consequences
Days to weeks
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Time Matters
Don't wait for symptoms to worsen. Early intervention leads to better outcomes.