Signs & Symptoms of Biliary Stasis
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Gall Stones (cholelithiasis)
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Chronic inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis)
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Symptoms:
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Chronic Right Shoulder pain, spasm, instability (right shoulder, right upper back or thoracic spine, right upper rib subluxations)
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Constrictive pain across the abdomen
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Headache over one or both eyes.
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Intolerance to fried or greasy (high fat) foods (bloating, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, etc)
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Indigestion
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Flatulence
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Periodic pain below the right side of the rib cage
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Bitter taste in the mouth
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Chest pain
The gallbladder is a sac in the body that contains bile (a combination of cholesterol and other fats). Bile is necessary for emulsifying fats (making fats able to not separate in water) in the small intestine. The purpose of the gallbladder is storage of additional bile in case there is more fat in a meal than the liver can make adequate bile to process. The liver will make and store a certain amount of bile. However, if there is too much fat in the meal, the gallbladder is called upon to contract and release it’s contents through the common bile duct (shared with the liver) and into the small intestine.
Gallbladder dysfunction typically begins with food allergies. There is a strong link between wheat allergies and gallbladder problems. Symptoms we typically see include intolerance to greasy or deep fried foods, bloating, diarrhea, cramping, as well as chronic right shoulder pain, spasm, instability (right shoulder, right upper back or thoracic spine, right upper rib subluxations). Family histories of gall stones or fat intolerance can also clue me into the presence of gallbladder dysfunction.
Ultrasound and x-ray studies will show stones if they are present. Ultrasound may also show chronic inflammation (via a thickening of the bladder wall). However, biliary stasis may not be evident by any testing methodology. When I muscle test an individual that has biliary stasis or some other form of gallbladder dysfunction, typically they will show a need for things like magnesium, l-taurine, beet, liquid iodine, phosphatidylcholine,
Dr. Berglund has found in practice that by treating the patient with certain supplements and food elimination, I find that they respond very well. In other words, they don’t HAVE TO HAVE surgery.
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Gall Stones
It has been estimated that 85% of patients with gall stones are asymptomatic (they have no gastrointestinal problems or problems eating fatty foods). Gall stones are primarily made of calcium carbonate and/or cholesterol. These typically form as an end stage to long term gallbladder dysfunction (most often biliary stasis). They can range in size from gravel sized stones to those the size of a ping pong ball.
​​Biliary Stasis or Biliary Insufficiency
Biliary stasis is when the liquid portion of the bile is too thick. Most likely, it contains too high a percentage of fats and not enough of the broken down fats (bile acids). As this muscular sac is called on to release its contents into the small intestine, the watery bile (normal individual) is sprayed into the intestine and fats are emulsified. In the patient with biliary stasis, the thick fluid cannot "squirt down the bile duct and, consequently, this muscular sac goes into spasm trying to push/squeeze this thick pasty fluid out this thin tube.
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Gallbladder surgery has a strong correlation to:
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Excessive carbohydrate consumption
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Women in their late 30's to mid 50's.
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Low thyroid function
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The reason for carbohydrates causing gallbladder issues is because the excess glucose is converted into triglycerides (blood fat) by the liver.
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The progression of poor "flow" in the body yields thickness and (if other substances are present) maybe stones. This happens in the kidneys, the gallbladder, and the innner ear.