Gallstones: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and When You Actually Need Surgery
Gallstones are one of the most common digestive problems worldwide, yet many people don't realize they have them until a stone blocks a duct and triggers sudden, severe pain. Others carry gallstones for years without any symptoms at all. So how do you know if that pain under your right ribs is a gallstone attack — and does having gallstones automatically mean you need surgery? As a gastroenterologist and liver specialist in Chandigarh, Dr. Sandeep Pal explains what gallstones are, how they're diagnosed, and when treatment actually requires an operation. What Are Gallstones? Gallstones are hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder — a small organ beneath the liver that stores bile, a fluid used to digest fat. Stones form when bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin, or when the gallbladder doesn't empty properly. There are two main types: Cholesterol stones — the most common type, made mostly of hardened cholesterol Pigment stones — smaller, darker stones made...
