Gallstones -- hardened accumulations of digestive fluids in your gallbladder -- can cause severe pain, as well as complications such as pancreatitis. Often, however, gallstones cause no symptoms. To treat painful gallstones, your doctor may advise removal of your gallbladder, a procedure known as a cholecystectomy. Some people turn to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, for help with gallstones. MayoClinic.com reports that alternative therapies haven't been proven effective in dissolving gallstones, but acknowledges they may help prevent gallstone complications. Ayurvedic medicine, a complementary therapy, is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment.
Features
Gallstones, which can occur singly or in a group, usually result from excess amounts of cholesterol or bilirubin in your bile. Gallstones that block the gallbladder ducts can cause sudden, intense pain, which may occur behind your breastbone, in the upper-right portion of your abdomen, in your right shoulder or in your upper back. You may also feel nauseated. If you experience jaundice, high fever, or abdominal pain that is so intense that you can't relieve it by changing position, MayoClinic.com advises seeking emergency medical care. Gallstones are more common in women than in men. Being over 60, being overweight, eating a high-cholesterol diet, and losing large amounts of weight very quickly can increase your risk of gallstones. Certain medications can also contribute to gallstone formation.
Lifestyle Changes
In Ayurveda, gallbladder disorders are known as Pratishyaya. They are believed to result from an imbalance among the three doshas -- or energy systems -- which are known as vata, pitta and kapha. According to Homemedicine.org, gallbladder problems can result from a kapha disorder, which slows metabolism. Murali Manohar Chirumamilla, M.D., an Ayurvedic physician in Andhra Pradesh, India, advises simple lifestyle changes such as losing weight, avoiding constipation, and consuming fruits rich in vitamin C, such as amla, or Indian gooseberry. The All Ayurveda website concurs with Chirumamilla's recommendations, advising apatarpana, or fasting, followed by langhana -- a light, wholesome diet with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable juices, yogurt, cottage cheese and olive oil. An Ayurvedic practitioner may also advise the use of yoga or other stress-relieving techniques.
Herbal Treatment
Ayurvedic practitioners often advise herbs that stimulate the flow of bile to promote a healthy gallbladder and treat gallstones. Known as cholagogues or choleretics, these remedies include dandelion -- called kanphul in Ayurveda -- and turmeric, also known as haldi. Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- credits dandelion with cholagogue properties and beneficial effects on gallstones, but adds it should be used for gallstones only under a physician's direction. Similarly, MedlinePlus warns against the use of turmeric when bile ducts are blocked. Consult your doctor before using dandelion or turmeric for gallstones. Other herbs used in Ayurveda to treat gallstones include gokshura or Tribulus terrestris, chicory and sunflower oil.
Hot Packs
The application of hot packs are a staple of Ayurvedic treatment for gallstones. Chirumamilla recommends soaking a flannel cloth with one cup of castor oil, placing it over the area of your gallbladder, covering it with plastic wrap and placing a heating pad over it for half an hour. Chirumamilla advises applying the pack daily for a month, then decreasing the frequency to three times a week.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Gallstones: Symptoms
- All Ayurveda; Gallbladder: Causes, Symptoms and Healing Options; 2009
- Muralimanohar.com; Gallstones and Ayurvedic Treatment; Murali Manohar Chirumamilla, M.D.; 2011
- MedlinePlus Supplements: Turmeric
- Homemademedicine.org: Gallstones
- Drugs.com: Complete Dandelion Information
