Gallstones: Symptoms and Causes

By EmpowHER

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Gallstones develop in the gallbladder. Gallstone sizes vary. Gallstones can be as small as a tip of a pencil or as large as a plum.

There are two types of gallstones. Those types include silent gallstones and symptomatic gallstones. Silent gallstones are painless and symptomatic cause mild to severe pain.

The NIDDK states the cause of gallstones may include:

• When there are not enough bile salts to break down fat
• When bile contains more cholesterol than it can dissolve

• When the gallbladder does not contract and empty its bile regularly
• When there is too much bilirubin or other substances in the bile that causes cholesterol to form hard crystals

Symptoms of gallstones differ from person to person. The majority of people may not even have any gallstone symptoms. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) states ʺonce you have one gallbladder attack, the chance of having another one is high ...

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