Gall bladder malfunction symptoms and remedies

I am once again happy to have Carolyn Carter giver her input and viewpoint regarding chiropractic – Dr. Mattingly, D.C.

On my latest visit to my chiro, I was once again having issues with my stomach. In short, I told him it feels as if there is a constant source of air in my stomach—as if, while I’m sleeping or waking, someone has inserted one of those bicycle air pump into some unknown orifice and is constantly filling my insides with air. I told him I want to burp all the time, but I can’t. I’m frequently sick to my stomach and the thought of eating doesn’t sound appealing—however, eating junk does sound good! Lastly, I also have right shoulder pain—it feels as if my shoulder is “off the track,” as it were.

To my surprise, he not only confirmed that I’m still having issues with my gall bladder, but he also explained that many menopausal women have issues with this area. He said that if the liver and gall bladder are congested, it will worsen menopausal symptoms. It has something to do with the way estrogen moves through the body and the receptor sites it touches on. Excessive estrogen, instead of leaving the body (because the gall bladder and liver are sluggish or blocked) will continue to move through the body and keep hitting those receptor sites causing all sorts of issues. Evidently, a lot of the problems we might think are related to menopause may actually be caused by a less-than-optimum functioning liver and gall bladder.

Who knew?

Now you see why chiros are so great. At last, an answer!

The reason I wouldn’t have guessed it was my gall bladder is because I don’t have traditional gall bladder pain—you know, that doubling over, white-faced mask of awfulness? I’ve seen people in the throes of a gall bladder attack and it looks quite horrific. When I did some research, I found that 85% of people never experience that kind of pain. In fact, 85% of the population is asymptomatic. So, basically they amble along thinking they have no issues with their gall bladder and then BAM! This is followed by a quick trip to the doc’s office who tells you you need to have gall bladder surgery! Did you know that over a half a million gall bladder surgeries are performed every year in the United States? Who decided the only option, when an organ is injured or impaired, is to cut it out of the body?

I don’t know about you but I happen to like my organs. Not only that, but they each have a function, a purpose, and it’s usually pretty darned important. However, if you ask most people who have had their gall bladders removed, they will tell you their doctors said the gall bladder isn’t needed. And honestly, if they’re constantly removing them, it does seem as if they aren’t necessary.

We interrupt this blog to bring you a little anatomy lesson as to how the liver and gall bladder work together as a team. First, the liver cleanses the blood of all toxins. The result of all this cleansing is something called bile. The bile’s storage tank is the gall bladder. A small pear-shaped organ that is flat like a deflated balloon after meals (before meals, it’s full of bile), the gall bladder sits just below the liver. The gall bladder contracts to release bile. (Gallstones prevent or hinder this contraction). Bile, in turn, digests fats, aids in elimination, etc. So, when the gall bladder is gone, guess what—the liver still produces bile but it has no storage tank. From what I’ve read, the gallstones you thought were gone forever, now just form in the liver!

If you’ve had your gall bladder removed, you might still have some of the symptoms mentioned above because of the way the body functions. Because of my repeat issues, I am in the midst of a gall bladder flush. If you’re contemplating doing one yourself, be sure to consult your healthcare practitioner before undertaking one. And know that just because your doc says you need surgery, that may not always be the case. Get a second opinion. Because a burst gall bladder is a serious event for the body, be sure to follow through on this important step and talk to a naturopath or chiro before deciding to opt out of surgery.

I’m excited about feeling better! If only Chinese Bitters actually tasted good. (The name is very apropos—blech!) Could I get the chocolate-flavored kind, please???

Do you have chronic unresolved pain?  It may be time to have a chiropractor give it a look.  Contact my office today for a visit by clicking here.