Here’s What To Do When You Need Gallbladder Pain Relief
A gallbladder attack, also known as biliary pain, can feel frightening and is often described as some of the worst pain a person has felt. It’s no wonder that gallbladder pain sufferers seek relief though medication, natural remedies and even surgery.
Sudden pain in the upper abdomen, chest or back, nausea, and even right shoulder pain can all occur as part of an attack. What most often brings on these episodes, lasting between 30 minutes to a few hours, is just a tiny stone. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or rather large and many people have them. They are most often formed from deposits of cholesterol in the gallbladder.
While they may hide out for years causing no pain, when a small pebble becomes stuck in a bile duct, deep, gnawing pain can radiate and ache persistently for hours. The discomfort is not relieved by changing position, vomiting or bowel movements. Unfortunately, it is often not relieved with pain medication either.
A gallstone will usually pass, and many small stones are in fact passed regularly without a person’s knowledge, however, if the stone stays lodged long enough in the common bile duct, stools and urine may change color as the bile is backed up.
Skin can show a yellow tone, known as jaundice, because of the backed-up bilirubin in bile. If experiencing a persistent blockage with pain lasting more than several hours, nausea and vomiting, fever or chills, seek medical attention.
Luckily there are some fast relief gallstone treatment options you can try at home for mild to moderate gallbladder pain.
Drink warm apple cider vinegar in water. Including apple cider vinegar in your regular diet is a great idea to help reduce gallstones. When you need immediate relief, however, raw apple cider vinegar can be added t a glass of warm water and sipped. Add roughly 2-4 tablespoons of vinegar to the mixture and drink slowly. Repeat every hour as needed. ACV is believed to increase bile output as well as soften existing gallstones.
Squeeze half of a lemon into a warm glass of water and take in the same way. The lemon is known to increase bile output and help flush stones.
Magnesium is known for helping to reduce spasms and can help reduce gallbladder pain. Try dissolving half a teaspoon of Magnesium powder in a glass of water to reduce pain. You may want to repeat every hour.
Try a hot water bottle or warm compress such as a castor oil pack directly over the gallbladder on the upper right abdomen. You can place a cloth soaked in castor oil under plastic wrap and a warm towel on the abdomen to let the benefits sink in.
