Polyps in the gallbladder - what is it and what to do?

Sometimes tumor-like growths form on the mucous membranes of internal organs, which have a different cause and structure of origin. The formation of polyps in the liver most often occurs in middle-aged women, as well as in people who have chronic diseases and are overweight. What kind of disease is this, what causes it, and most importantly, how to fight it?

Middle-aged women and obese people are more likely to develop tumor growths in the liver.

What kind of disease is this?

Polyps have a benign etiology of origin and are most often formed in the ducts of the gallbladder. Sometimes polyps formed in the liver can develop into a malignant tumor, this depends on the general condition of the human body, as well as due to age. There are cases when the liver is multiply affected by polyps; they can also be on the mucous membrane of the gallbladder. In this case, it is advised to completely remove it, since there is a high risk of deterioration in the patient’s health.

Polyps may be pedunculated. In this case, the patient is advised to constantly monitor the condition for 1.5-2 years. If the structure has not changed during this period, then it is enough to undergo an examination once a year.

This disease rarely occurs in children, but if the disease appears, the cause may be heredity or the development of pathology in the cells of the mucous membrane.

Symptoms

A gallbladder polyp does not always manifest itself, which is why some people may not even suspect for a long time that they have this pathology. Moreover, the symptoms may differ from each other, because much depends on the types of bile polyps. It is worth noting that a gallbladder polyp blocking the duct can cause jaundice. Moreover, it is considered hazardous to health.

If we talk about bile polyps located in other areas, then they often do not give certain signs. Small growths themselves are asymptomatic, so a person may not worry about deterioration in health.

The patient may experience yellowing of the skin, as well as the sclera with bile polyps. This in turn suggests that bilirubin may be increased. A similar phenomenon can be observed in a situation where bile penetrates into the blood.

If the stomach is involved in the pathological process, then a person may experience a bitter taste in the mouth. It is mainly observed on an empty stomach. When the walls of the gallbladder are stretched, then the person will feel intense pain. Particular discomfort is observed immediately after eating heavy food, as well as overeating.

In this case, you can note general symptoms that indicate the appearance of gallbladder polyps:

• yellow skin tone. In this situation, you definitely need to check for the presence of polyps in the gallbladder;
• nausea and vomiting attacks that occur for no apparent reason. These may be bile polyps;
• colic in the liver area. This also often indicates the appearance of gallbladder polyps;
• painful sensations in the right hypochondrium. A person can often pinpoint the exact location of pain. In this case, one can definitely suspect that we have to deal with polyps on the gallbladder;
• flatulence and constipation. In some situations, a person may experience diarrhea;
• acid belching. This symptom should not be ignored, because it often indicates bile polyps;
• bitter taste in the mouth. Quite often it can indicate that polyps have formed in the gallbladder.

If at least a few of the listed symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo professional diagnosis. Only in such a situation will it be possible to clearly understand what exactly we are dealing with. You should not wait until gallbladder polyps lead to complications. The sooner a person takes measures to improve his well-being, the easier it will be to get rid of a dangerous disease.

Classification of polyps in the liver

In medicine, polyps are classified into the following types:

Growths in the liver are inflammatory, cholesterol or adenomatous in nature.

1. Inflammatory is a polyp that is not malignant. Appears at the site of mucosal inflammation, as excessive growth of granulomatous tissue occurs in this area due to irritation.
2. Cholesterol formations. This type of polyp is not malignant and most often occurs in patients who have impaired lipid metabolism. A cholesterol plaque forms on the organ, which begins to grow; in addition, calcifications may also appear on the organ.
3. Adenomatous formation consists of papillomas and papillary growths. This type of papillomas is a tumor formation when rapid growth of glandular tissue is observed. Polyps of this type often become malignant, but doctors do not know why this happens.

Etiology of the disease

There are a number of reasons that can provoke the formation of polyps in the liver:

1. Eating large amounts of fatty foods makes it difficult for the body to cope with the processing of fat, lipid metabolism is disrupted.
2. A sedentary lifestyle - physical inactivity leads to the formation of stagnant processes in the abdominal organs, which helps to slow down metabolic processes. The organ works worse and performs its functions 30-40% less.
3. Overeating at night, which leads to disruption of the digestive tract and puts increased stress on the liver.
4. Progressive pancreatitis, in which food in the stomach is poorly broken down, which stimulates increased production of bile.
5. Hepatitis and cholecystitis, in which the inflammatory process progresses.

Eating large amounts of fatty foods is a possible cause of liver polyps.
Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight are at risk. As practice shows, the disease can be caused by a sharp change in hormonal levels, and also has a genetic predisposition.

Treatment

If during the examination the diagnosis of liver polyps is confirmed in a person, the doctor will advise taking the following therapeutic measures:

• Diet is one of the important methods of treating the disease. If a patient develops polyps in the liver and gall bladder, then he will have to exclude protein foods, foods high in fat and carbohydrates. It is not advisable to eat foods high in fiber, seasonings, or cholesterol while on a diet. Dishes should always be at a comfortable temperature; it is recommended to drink a sufficient amount of liquid - at least 1.5 liters. The diet includes limiting salt intake.

• Conservative treatment is necessary only when the patient is diagnosed with cholesterol polyps of the liver. In this case, the doctor will prescribe medications for treatment that will help dissolve cholesterol plaques and, in combination with medications, will advise you to follow a therapeutic diet. Treatment of cholesterol polyps located in the liver is sometimes effective with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce the formation.
• Surgery is used when a patient is advised to get rid of a polyp in the liver, as there is a risk of transforming it into a malignant tumor. In this case, endoscopy is performed. This method of removing a polyp in the liver is most often well tolerated by patients and the rehabilitation period is relatively short.

When the patient seeks help on time, there is a chance not to remove the entire organ. In this case, endoscopic polypectomy is used. But the problem is that it has not yet been proven that this method will protect the patient from the reappearance of tumors.

The operation is performed in the following cases:

• the neoplasm is large and is constantly growing;
• polyps form along with the deposition of gallstones;
• polyps negatively affect the functioning of internal organs and the human condition in general;
• there is a risk of the polyp transforming into a cancerous tumor.

Causes

There are a considerable number of provoking factors that can cause polyps to appear in the gallbladder. It is extremely important to take care to start treating them, because otherwise serious complications will arise. In this case, you should first remember the reasons due to which pathological formations occur on the mucous membrane.

Main provoking factors:

1. Heredity. If parents or other close relatives suffered from bile polyps, then the person himself may be more likely to encounter them. That is why it will be useful for him to be regularly checked by a doctor so that the occurrence of pathology can be noticed in time.
2. Poor nutrition. Some people prefer high-calorie foods that contain a lot of cholesterol. As a result, polyps may appear in the gallbladder area.
3. Inflammatory process. When it occurs, the body turns on protective functions, due to which bile polyps can form.
4. The hormone estrogen. If it begins to be produced more, then the epithelium in the area of ​​the organ in question will grow. Because of this, women most often suffer, because they often develop polyps in the gallbladder.
5. Hepatitis and papilloma virus. Both diseases can cause a person to develop bile polyps. That is why it is important to keep such pathologies under control, and not wait until serious complications arise from them.
6. Dyskinesia. In such a situation, improper functioning of the biliary tract occurs. This provokes the appearance of polyps in the gallbladder.
7. Chronic cholecystitis. If there is stagnation of bile, then an increase in organ tissue occurs. As a result, a person suffers from bile polyps.
8. Metabolism problems. If the metabolism is disturbed, then a person may often experience a violation of the outflow of bile. As a result, the tissue of the bladder will grow, which will lead to the appearance of bile polyps.

It is also worth understanding that infections, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle also negatively affect the condition of internal organs, in particular digestive function. Because of this, polyps can form in the gallbladder, which can create many problems for a person.

Treatment with folk remedies

Treatment of polyps with folk remedies is effective if you follow the scheme and rules for taking folk remedies. For the treatment of polyps located in the liver, a folk remedy such as celandine tea is effective. Pour boiling water over the plant and let it brew for 2 hours. Use 2 tbsp. l. 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals. You need to drink this infusion for 1 month, then take a break for 2 weeks, and then resume the procedure. But do not forget that celandine is a poisonous plant, so be sure to consult a doctor before use, otherwise you can further harm the organ.

Also effective folk remedies are chamomile flowers and dry celandine herb. To prepare the infusion, mix the ingredients in a 50:50 ratio and pour boiling water over it, let it brew for 5-7 hours. You need to take 1 tbsp of this tea. l. in 30 min. before meals for 1 month, then you can stop for 2 weeks and resume taking the infusion.

You can eliminate growths on the liver using “grandmother’s” recipes based on decoctions of medicinal herbs and mushrooms.

To cure the disease, folk remedies such as puffball mushrooms are used. To prepare the infusion, old mushrooms are used, which are crushed and poured with vodka. For this tincture you need to take 15 mushrooms and 100 g of vodka. You need to insist for a week, constantly shaking the container. Then strain the tincture, and mix the mushrooms with 0.5 kilos of butter and 3 tbsp. l. honey You need to take 1 tbsp. l. in 30 min. after eating food.

It is possible to cure liver polyps with folk remedies if, in addition to decoctions of medicinal herbs and other remedies, you engage in physical therapy, adhere to a diet and daily routine. However, you should not self-medicate without first consulting a doctor, as this may worsen the patient’s condition.

Diagnostics

If a person begins to experience discomfort in the liver area, it is important to immediately contact a medical facility. The doctor interviews the patient and finds out how long ago the undesirable symptom appeared and whether additional symptoms are present. The patient is then sent for an ultrasound examination of the liver, which often allows an accurate diagnosis to be made. Upon examination, oval or round neoplasms are visible, which are localized on the inner lining of the organ. A person may need to undergo endoscopic ultrasonography to confirm the diagnosis. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to identify even small tumors.

Prevention

Proper nutrition also plays an important role not only in treatment, but also in the prevention of tumors. Doctors recommend eating healthy foods and eliminating hot spices, fiber and cholesterol from the menu.

You need to eat 5 times a day in small portions, moderately warm food. Drink half a liter of water per day. After surgery, it is recommended to stick to the diet for the rest of your life: there is no guarantee that instead of the excised tumor, a new one will not form in the same place.

If we are talking about a healthy person who is not burdened with the presence of unwanted formations, for the purpose of prevention it is recommended not to ignore gastrointestinal diseases, not to abuse alcohol, fatty, salty and spicy foods. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also reduce the risk of unwanted pathologies. It is not recommended to eat dry food and take too long breaks between meals.