Acute cholecystitis, or gallbladder attack, is a sudden inflammation of the gallbladder that causes severe abdominal pain. This acute inflammation of the walls of the gallbladder is usually presented when the cystic duct is obstructed by a stone. Acute cholecystitis is generally treated with surgery. According to MayoClinic.com, complications from the surgery increase by delaying the surgery. Consult with your doctor before modifying your diet or self-treating your gallbladder disease.
Symptoms
MayoClinic.com notes that when left untreated, acute cholecystitis develops in approximately 20 percent of patients with biliary colic. Typical gallbladder colic manifests as 1 to 5 hours of mostly constant pain. You will normally feel this pain in the right upper quadrant. The pain can also radiate to the back or the right scapular region. Usually the pain presents after a meal, and pain symptoms are generally more common at night. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, chest pain and fever.
Causes
According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," certain risk factors increase your likelihood of developing gallbladder disease. These risk factors include being overweight, having a history of alcohol abuse, family history of gallbladder disease, diabetes and consuming a diet high in saturated fats and processed foods and sugars. Although the exact mechanism that causes gallbladder disease is not known, you can minimize your risk of developing this disease through preventative diet modifications. These modifications include minimizing the amount of saturated fats and processed foods and sugars you consume.
What to Eat
During a gallbladder attack, you should limit your diet to low-fat, low-protein, easy-to-digest and semiliquid foods. At the acute onset of the symptoms, you should not eat fried foods, eggs, broth, alcohol, dairy or processed or hydrogenated fats. In addition, you should limit the amount of food you eat. If you continually present with symptoms, you should implement a diet consisting of regular meals that include more fiber and vegetables and fewer carbohydrates and animal foods.
Specifics
Ingesting 1 tbsp. of olive oil with a 3.38-oz. serving of lemon juice in the mornings may lessen the likelihood of symptoms. Vinegar is another aid that may help alleviate the symptoms of a gallbladder attack. A good source of vinegar is apple cider vinegar. Mix 3 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar with a 3.38-oz. serving of apple juice. In addition, avocado is a good food that contains essential oils. Two servings of blackberries can provide nutrients helpful to the gastrointestinal system. Additionally, some alternative healers suggest consuming a half glass of dandelion juice with 2 tsp. of lecithin granules daily.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine"; DL Kasper; 2005
- NIH: Acute Cholecystitis
- "Mayo Clinic"; Cholecystitis; 2009
- "Mayo Clinic"; Gallstones; 2010
