Does Stress Cause Gallstones? Having been discovered around the 15th century by Antonio Benevieni, gallstones have been known to plague humans even before their discovery. Over the years, this medical condition has been researched, and medical advancements geared toward improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with this medical condition have been achieved (1).
So, whether you are living with gallstones, are newly diagnosed, or just what to play safe, read on as this article got you covered. We help you understand what gallstones are, people predisposed to getting gallstones, and how stress can cause gallstones. We also help you pinpoint the telltale signs that you may be suffering from gallstones.
What exactly are gallstones?
Gallstones, medically known as cholelithiasis, are hardened or stone-like deposits of digestive fluids(bile) that form due to an imbalance in the chemical composition of bile. Typically, there are two types of gallstones (2); the pigmented type, which may be either black or brown (forms when bilirubin is in excess in the bile), and cholesterol gallstones(the most common form).
People who are at risk of developing gallstones
- Gender- females are more predisposed to getting gallstones than men
- Age-Females aged between 20-60 years and males older than 60 years are at an increased risk of getting cholelithiasis
- People who have diabetes, hyperthyroidism, obesity, Crohn’s disease, and liver diseases
- Individuals using certain medications like oral contraceptives, cholesterol-lowering drugs
- Familial history of gallstones-persons born of parents or relatives who had a previous medical history of gallstones
- People who are under constant stressful situations
How does stress cause gallstones?
Stress is a major cause of gallstone development in healthy individuals who are not at risk of getting gallstones. During stressful episodes, your liver’s physiological and endocrine mechanism becomes disturbed (functions abnormally). This, in turn, causes your liver to produce bile juice that contains a lot of cholesterol or bilirubin.
When this abnormal endocrinal response occurs, the bile produced by your liver cannot fully dissolve the excess cholesterol or bilirubin, thus causing these two components to accumulate in your gallbladder, leading to the formation of gallstones.
Signs and symptoms to watch out for if you suspect you have gallstones
Most of the time, people who have gallstones do not show any signs or symptoms; thus, it is difficult to tell if you have this medical condition without being medically screened. When your gallstones dislodge from your gallbladder and move into your bile duct or your intestines, then you are too bound to present with the following symptoms;
- Sharp or dull pain(colicky) felt on the right side of your abdomen (just below your ribs). The pain usually increases with intensity and may last for 12 hours if medical attention is not sought
- Nausea and vomiting usually come after an episode of colic pain
- Jaundice-yellowing of the skin or the sclera (white part of your eye)
- Passing light-colored stool and dark urine without an explanatory reason
Key takeaway
Gallstones can be a life-threatening medical condition if proper medical attention is not sought early. Note that you may have gallstones without presenting any of the signs and symptoms mentioned above. Hence it’s crucial that you regularly make an appointment with a certified doctor to ascertain that you don’t have gallstones, especially if you are at risk of getting this medical condition
Article Studies, References, and Resources
- Health-related quality of life outcomes after cholecystectomy By Amedeo Carraro – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3236586/
- The formation of gallstones By A Bouchier https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1583812/