How to Relieve Gallstone Pain
Aug 23, 2021
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Mou Dongpo
Introduction
The pain caused by gallstones is clinically referred to as biliary colic. In clinical practice, management of biliary colic typically involves fasting and gastrointestinal decompression. Acid-suppressing agents—such as omeprazole—may be administered to reduce gastrointestinal secretions, thereby diminishing stimulation of bile acid secretion and alleviating pain. Additionally, antispasmodic agents—such as anisodamine—are used to relieve biliary tract spasm and obstruction, thus mitigating the symptoms of biliary colic.
The pain associated with gallstones is clinically termed biliary colic, primarily resulting from bile stasis and bacterial infection of the biliary tract. Therefore, clinical management of biliary colic typically involves fasting and gastrointestinal decompression. Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole may be administered to reduce gastrointestinal secretions, thereby diminishing stimulation of bile acid secretion and alleviating pain.
Additionally, antispasmodic agents such as anisodamine are used to relieve biliary tract spasm and obstruction, thus mitigating symptoms of biliary colic. If a bacterial infection is present, antibiotics are commonly prescribed to eradicate the causative bacteria and alleviate infection-related biliary colic symptoms. In some cases, gallstones may trigger acute biliary pancreatitis, which often requires treatment with somatostatin to control abdominal pain associated with pancreatitis.
