Mahaska Health Partnership Educates on Gallbladder Health

Mahaska Health Partnership

MAHASKA COUNTY – This time of year means many things, but one of the most universal is the availability of treats, homemade meals and seasonal goodies. Unfortunately, holiday foods can be hard on your gallbladder, and Mahaska Health Partnership wants you to know the symptoms and treatments for gallbladder issues.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ attached to your liver and located under your rib cage that stores bile. The bile is used to assist in the digestive process. The higher fat content in the food you eat; the more bile that will be required to digest it.

Hard, pebble-like deposits called gallstones can block the flow of bile from the gallbladder and cause extreme pain. Usually, a person will feel nausea, experience vomiting and pain in the back, abdomen or under the right arm.

“Gallstone attacks usually happen after you eat,” explained MHP General Surgeon Paul Riggs, MD, FACS. “If you suffer from gallbladder attacks, you should avoid eating foods high in fat and sugar; which unfortunately are everywhere during the holiday season.”

Because gallstones and gallbladder attacks are so painful and often frightening, many people opt to have the organ removed. The gallbladder is not necessary and bile can be delivered to the small intestine in other ways.

“Removal of the gallbladder is the safe and traditional treatment for those suffering from gallbladder issues,” said Dr. Riggs. “We perform laparoscopic gallbladder removal that only requires three small incisions and leaves patients feeling relief after a quick recovery period.”

Don’t end up writhing in pain this holiday season. Remember to eat in moderation and monitor the fatty and high-cholesterol foods you eat to avoid gallstone attacks.

Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, call 641-672-3240 or visit www.mahaskahealth.org.

Posted by on Dec 5 2012. Filed under Local Businesses, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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