The gallbladder is a very small organ which is the size of your fist and is responsible for aiding in digestion of fat and also concentrating bile produced by the liver. All animals which are vertebrates have gallbladder while invertebrates don’t. However, human body can more or less accept the loss of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is located under the liver which measures about 8cms in adult humans and consists of fundus, body and neck. Hartmann’s pouch, a mucosal fold that is present in the neck of the gallbladder is the location where gallbladder stones when formed get collected. Gallbladder releases bile into the duodenum when fat contained in the food consumed enters digestive tract which in turn triggers the secretion of cholecystokinin or CCK. The fats in partly digested foods get mashed and softened by the bile.

The most common problem related to the gallbladder is the formation of stones which are small, pebble like structures consisting of bile salts and cholesterol deposits. With time these stones may grow larger, cause pain and irritation eventually leading to the need for surgery to remove them. Many people may have stones in their gallbladders but they don’t come to know even about their existence until pain or complications begin.

The gallbladder functions by a contracting and expanding motion to secrete the bile juice and the presence of stones may disrupt the secretion process thereby leading to bile accumulation which causes irritation. The result is cholecystitis which becomes severe with fat rich diet. The discomfort imitates heartburn or indigestion. Often in severe attacks the agonizing pain may happen due to the stones moving into the bile duct or the small intestine. The pain may reach the back and seem like the symptoms of a heart attack.

Risks of gallbladder stones are related with advancing age, hormone replacement therapy, diet, gender, obesity, pregnancy, alcoholism and diabetes mellitus. Females are diagnosed more with this problem as estrogen is believed to be a factor. Symptoms of gallbladder problems include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, fever and so on. For severe cases surgery may be the only option but for mild to moderate cases and even for those who can’t consider surgery may try alternative treatments and home remedies which often become successful to cure the problem. Taking enough water to flush out toxins and taking less fatty diet are the most important remedies. Consume lots of fluids and fruits juices. Pear juice, beet juice, dandelion juice, parts of the chicory plant, olive oil and sunflower oil are thought to be effective in the treatment of gallbladder problems.