The text is presented for informational purposes only. We strongly urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor. We recommend reading: “Why you can’t self-medicate?” The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped muscular sac that stores bile and is connected to the liver by ducts known as the biliary tract. Its main function is to store bile produced by the liver. Stagnation of bile in the gallbladder and an increase in the concentration of salts in the bile due to metabolic disorders can provoke the formation of stones in the gallbladder. The main factors for the occurrence of cholelithiasis can be:
- sedentary lifestyle, especially sedentary work;
- pregnancy;
- taking hormonal contraceptives;
- obesity;
- biliary dyskinesia;
- pancreatic diseases;
- and other factors.
Many people believe that in this case it is necessary to clean the bladder. Is this true and how to cleanse the gallbladder correctly?
What is the gallbladder cleansed from?
If a person overindulges in cholesterol-rich foods and the liver produces too much bile, the excess accumulates in the gallbladder, hardens and forms gallstones. It is the stones that they try to get rid of using the bladder cleaning procedure.
Content:
- What is the gallbladder cleansed from?
- Signs of stones
- What is a gallbladder cleanse?
- What happens during a gallbladder cleanse?
- How to properly clean your bladder
- Other ways to cleanse the gallbladder
- What to do after cleaning
- When bladder cleansing cannot be done
- What do doctors say about this?
Gallstones usually do not cause symptoms. However, gallstones can block the flow of bile from the gallbladder, causing pain (biliary colic) or causing inflammation. They can also migrate from the gallbladder to the bile duct, where they can interfere with the normal flow of bile into the intestines, causing, in addition to pain and inflammation, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Why cleanse?
The liver produces about 2 liters of bile during the day. It cannot all be used for digestion processes, so you need a place where it will be stored until needed. This place is the gallbladder. Bile is bile acids, cholesterol, bilirubin and other biologically active substances dissolved in water that are necessary for the breakdown of food in the intestines. They are very aggressive, so they can irritate the walls of the digestive tract. The gallbladder is necessary not only for storing bile, but also for protecting the intestines from the effects of bile acids.
But its volume is only 60 ml, so the bile thickens. If for some reason it is stored in this reservoir for a long time, thickening leads to the formation of stones or polyps.
Important: these are serious pathologies, despite the fact that they cause almost no discomfort to the patient. After all, the stone can move and clog the bile ducts, and polyps with a large size can block the ducts.
To prevent this, it is recommended to periodically clean the gallbladder, especially for those who have pathologies of the digestive tract, metabolic disorders or bad habits.
If the gallbladder is completely filled with stones or in its absence, bile immediately enters the intestines. This leads to increased levels of bile acids and cholesterol in the blood, as well as irritation of the walls of the digestive tract. The consequence of gallbladder removal is often pancreatitis, colitis, gastroduodenitis, and cancer. The risk of such pathologies can be reduced by regular cleaning of the bile ducts, which is recommended if the gallbladder has been removed.
In addition, the need for such a procedure can be determined by certain symptoms. First of all, this is the appearance of bitterness in the mouth, which indicates a violation of the outflow of bile. A person may notice a deterioration in appetite, slower digestion of food, especially fatty foods, periodic nausea, frequent belching, and constipation. Pigment spots or moles appear on the skin, sometimes it becomes yellowish and dry, gums bleed, and nails break. Sleep disturbances, fatigue, frequent headaches, flatulence, and dark urine may also occur.
Signs of stones
A doctor can answer exactly whether there is a stone in the gall bladder, what size it is and whether the organ requires treatment after a diagnostic ultrasound. However, there are also external signs that may indicate a malfunction of the gallbladder. These are: nausea; bloating; pain in the right hypochondrium, radiating to the back; increase in body temperature.
Supporters of alternative medicine “recognize” gallstones by some very unusual symptoms:
- the formation of dark spots on the forehead, between the shoulder blades, on the shoulders and forearms;
- one or two deep wrinkles between the eyebrows;
- oily skin in the forehead area;
- pimples and cracks on the tongue;
- frequent belching and bad breath;
- dark spots on the face or lips;
- swollen or bleeding gums;
- deterioration of dental condition.
But these are just guesses and assumptions. To make a diagnosis and develop treatment tactics, an examination is necessary!
What is a gallbladder cleanse?
When a person is diagnosed with gallstones, the patient is faced with a choice between symptomatic (non-invasive) treatment or surgery to remove the stones or gallbladder. Before deciding to take a drastic step, alternative treatment methods are often used. One of these is cleansing the gallbladder.
Proponents of alternative medicine claim that a special diet can sometimes soften gallstones and remove them from the body. Most often, lemon, apple or vegetable juices, as well as olive oil are consumed during cleansing. Cleansing is considered successful if the stones soften and leave the body along with feces.
Cleaning in the hospital
In a medical institution, tubage is performed - washing the gallbladder and ducts. This not only eliminates bile stagnation, but also removes toxins, clots, mucus, as well as sand and small pebbles. This cleaning method is trusted by many people with gallbladder pathologies. Tubage is carried out using a probe method and blindly, that is, without a probe. The procedure is used for chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis, and biliary dyskinesia.
In the hospital, probing is most often performed using a special tube. Through it, drugs are administered that relax the ducts and improve the motility of the gallbladder. Usually this is magnesium sulfate or mineral water. These agents wash the gallbladder and bile ducts. This procedure can be performed once a week.
How to properly clean your bladder
To achieve the desired result, it should be taken into account that the digestive system functions interconnectedly and if a problem arises in one organ, then disturbances in other organs cannot be ruled out. For example, before doing a gallbladder cleanse, you might want to focus on colon cleansing.
A complete cleansing of the gallbladder usually lasts 6-7 days. For the procedure, you can use different sets of products and drugs. One of the most popular consists of the following components:
- apple juice (calculated at 1 liter for 1 day);
- 4 tbsp. l. magnesium sulfate diluted in 1 liter of water;
- half a glass of olive oil;
- 1 glass of fresh citrus juice (grapefruit, lemon or orange).
Magnesium sulfate (magnesium) is necessary to relax the bile ducts and thereby facilitate the removal of stones and make the procedure less painful. Olive oil acts as a lubricant and makes stones pass more easily.
A week before the start of the cleanse
A week before “day X” you need to switch your body to a diet that does not contain fatty and dairy foods. During this period, you are allowed to eat an unlimited amount of vegetables and fruits, as well as some lean meat, but cold foods should be avoided, as they affect the effectiveness of cleansing.
For 6 days you should drink about 1 liter of fresh apple juice. This amount of drink must be divided into several doses. The first glass should be drunk 30 minutes before meals, the rest - 2 hours after meals. If the juice is too sour or causes unpleasant side effects (bloating or diarrhea), you can dilute it with water before drinking. Why apple juice? This fruit contains fruit acids that help soften and then destroy gallstones.
Day X
To cleanse the gallbladder, it is best to choose a time when you can stay at home throughout the day, as the procedures will require frequent visits to the toilet.
As in previous days, you need to drink 1 liter of fresh apple juice per day. But now the last portion of the drink must be consumed before noon. It is not necessary to completely refuse food on this day (although it is possible). But you will unconditionally have to give up sugar in any form, dairy products, animal protein and fats.
In addition, during this day you should drink a solution of magnesium sulfate. It is prepared from 4 tbsp. l. substances and 1 liter of water. The resulting mixture must be divided into 4 servings and drunk over the next 2 days. The first portion of this solution should be consumed on “day X” at 18.00. The second portion is on the same day, but already at 20.00. Then, just before going to bed (while lying in bed), you need to drink a cocktail of olive oil and citrus juice.
The next day
The last two portions of saline solution should be taken at 6.30 and 8.30 am. After the last dose of magnesium, you can drink juice. Fruits and light foods are allowed throughout the day, and you also need to drink plenty of clean water. Until the evening, as on the previous day, frequent urges to go to the toilet are possible, but by the next morning the state of health and the functioning of the digestive system will return to normal.
Use of drugs
Medicines are often used to cleanse the liver and gallbladder. They should be chosen by a doctor after examining and identifying the problem. Usually, agents are chosen that have a choleretic effect, dilute bile, remove toxins, improve regeneration processes and protect cells from destruction. Most of them are plant based. The course of use of such drugs is usually 1–3 months. You should not change the duration of their use and dosage on your own. To prevent complications and achieve maximum effectiveness from such cleaning, you should take medications only as prescribed by your doctor.
Some medications can be used to cleanse the gallbladder.
Often, choleretic drugs are prescribed in combination with drugs that have hepatoprotective properties. There are several drugs that are considered the most effective for cleaning the gallbladder, which is why they are used most often.
Probing of the gallbladder and reviews of the procedure
- Bonjigar is a herbal remedy that has a strong choleretic effect. It stimulates the production of bile and its excretion. Along with it, waste and toxins are removed from the liver and gall bladder.
- Allochol stimulates the formation of bile and improves digestion. It has a complex natural composition, so it is well tolerated. This drug effectively dilutes bile and prevents its stagnation.
- Kholosas is a syrup made from rose hips. It has no contraindications or side effects, as it has a very mild cleansing effect.
- Berlition improves fat and carbohydrate metabolism. It acts mainly on the liver, reducing cholesterol levels in bile. But this helps make it more fluid and prevent stagnation.
- Heptral effectively cleanses the liver and gallbladder.
- The drug Ovesol has a complex herbal composition. It accelerates the excretion of bile and protects liver cells from destruction.
Read also: Exacerbation of cholecystitis
Other ways to cleanse the gallbladder
There are many other folk medicine recipes used to cleanse the gallbladder. Let's look at the most popular ones.
Apple vinegar
Apples are rich in phytochemicals that have antioxidant and medicinal properties. It is believed that some of them can crush gallstones. For this reason, these fruits are the most popular gallbladder cleanser. But in addition to juice, you can also use apple cider vinegar as a cleanser. According to one of the recipes, to cleanse the organ of stones, you need to drink 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 5-6 times a day. The procedure is repeated for 10 days. Another recipe advises drinking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with the juice of 3-4 apples for 10 days.
Pears with honey
Not only apples, but also pears are considered useful for cleaning the gallbladder. Not least because of the rich fiber and pectin content, which help normalize cholesterol levels and remove gallstones. The medicinal drink is prepared from pear juice (from 4 fruits), a small amount of boiled water and 1 tablespoon of honey. It is recommended to drink the drink several times a day for at least 4 weeks.
Mint
Mint has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, regulates the flow of bile and prevents the formation of gallstones. In addition, it can alleviate the condition if there are problems with the functioning of the gallbladder. For cleaning, you can use a drink made from a handful of fresh mint leaves and 500 ml of water. Cook everything over very low heat for 10 minutes. Mint tea should be drunk three times a day for a week.
Lemon with olive oil
The essence of this method is to drink a mixture of 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil every day for 40 days. Some people clean the gallbladder only with lemon juice and water (for 120 ml of freshly squeezed juice, take 2 liters of water). Lemon is an excellent detox for the whole body. In addition, citric acid facilitates the digestion of food and helps dissolve gallstones.
Beet
In folk medicine, beet juice is known for its ability to slowly dissolve and remove gallstones. You can drink it by mixing it with carrot and cucumber juice (take two parts of other juices for 1 part beet juice). At first, you should consume no more than 1-2 teaspoons of juice per day and gradually increase its amount to 1 glass (drink half a glass twice a day). The course of treatment is 2 weeks. After a 2-week break, repeat. But this method of cleansing the bladder is not suitable for people with peptic ulcers of the stomach or duodenum, or kidney dysfunction.
Cleansing with drugs
The pharmacy offers a considerable range of medicines that can be used to cleanse and improve the functioning of the liver and gall bladder.
Legalon
The main active ingredient of the herbal medicine is milk thistle.
The tablets normalize the digestive process, promote the restoration of liver cells, and improve metabolic processes in the body.
Legalon is allowed to be used for the prophylactic purpose of any liver disease, to cleanse the organ, in case of toxic damage.
Dosage for an adult is 1 tablet; the duration of the cleansing course depends on the specific problem.
Essentiale Forte
A combined preparation that includes B vitamins, phospholipids, pantothenic acid and other substances that accelerate regenerative processes in the liver and restore the damaged membrane of hepatocytes.
Tablets are recommended for severe liver damage - cirrhosis, acute hepatitis, death of liver tissue, as well as for the purpose of prevention. Take 3 times a day, dosage 2 tablets. Essentiale accelerates the flow of bile and normalizes the cholesterol profile.
Ovesol
A safe and effective medicine that ensures the removal of all toxic substances from the body. Sold in pharmacies without a prescription. The combination drug includes:
- Oats.
- Mint leaves.
- Turmeric root.
- Immortelle flowers.
- Golden volodushka.
Ovesol tablets quickly bind and remove dangerous compounds, help restore the functioning of the bile ducts and liver. It is recommended for an adult to take 1 tablet, 3 times a day.
Allohol
The drug is recommended for use against the background of cholangitis, cholecystitis, and atonic constipation, since it has a powerful choleretic effect. In some cases, Allochol is used to cleanse the gland and gallbladder.
Dosage for an adult: 1-2 capsules, taken three times a day. Repeated cleansing is carried out after 3-4 months.
Essliver Forte
A medication that helps normalize fat metabolism in the body. The duration of the therapeutic course is 3 months, take 2 capsules at a time, multiplicity - 3 times, taken with meals.
Gepabene
The main components in the composition are fume herb and milk thistle. The dosage is selected individually, depending on the degree of liver dysfunction. The drug Gepabene is often prescribed against the background of viral hepatitis, toxic damage to the gland. Dosage for an adult is 1 tablet, taken 3 times a day.
What to do after cleaning
Let’s say right away that cleansing the gallbladder at home using traditional methods is not always possible and not for everyone. But if the procedure helped, after cleaning it is important to review the nutrition system. To prevent the re-formation of stones, you need to:
- include many foods containing fiber in your diet;
- avoid foods high in unhealthy fats (fried foods, cakes, fast food);
- Replace unhealthy fats with healthy ones, for example, olive oil.
After cleansing, you must follow a balanced diet, avoiding extremely low-calorie diets (this increases the risk of gallstone formation).
After the procedure (as well as before it), you must consult a doctor. If, after cleansing the gallbladder at home, small stones still remain, the doctor may prescribe ursodeoxycholic acid, which is used to dissolve hard accumulations in the gallbladder.
What and how to eat to avoid stones?
Promotes the formation of stones. Fast food, meat (especially fatty meat), sugar and other easily digestible carbohydrates (sweets, flour, soda), low fiber intake, very low-calorie diets (up to 1500 kcal per day), high fructose intake (diabetic foods, honey, fructose soda), beans and other legumes, vitamin C deficiency, overeating (excess calorie intake), prolonged fasting.
Protects against the formation of stones. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils), nuts, fiber (vegetables, fruits and whole grains), calcium (dairy products), moderate alcohol consumption containing no more than 20-40 g of pure alcohol per day, coffee and caffeine, vitamin C and foods rich in it, a regular diet, a vegetarian diet, fish and fish oil, with low-calorie diets it is important to consume enough fat (7-10 g per day).
When bladder cleansing cannot be done
In some cases, cleaning at home can be dangerous. In particular, the procedure is prohibited for people who have recently undergone surgery. In this case, the body may not yet be strong enough, and cleansing will be very stressful for it. Also, people under 18 years of age and women during pregnancy or menstruation should not perform cleaning.
It should be remembered that under the influence of the active substances of the products used, gradual swelling - softening - crushing - dissolution of gallstones occurs. In the form of “flour and fine powder,” the stones are excreted into the bile duct and then into the duodenum. The hole on the duodenal bulb in an adult does not exceed 3-4 mm in diameter, and due to swelling and inflammation it may be smaller. Therefore, stones larger than 3 mm cannot be removed using active gallbladder cleansing. This threatens hepatic colic and blockage of the bile ducts.
And most importantly, before you start cleansing the gallbladder at home, you need to consult a doctor. This will avoid unwanted side effects and complications.
Procedure Objectives
Typically, a gallbladder cleanse also cleanses the liver and ducts. In addition, it has a positive effect on the entire digestive tract. If cleansing is carried out correctly, its result will be an improvement in the general condition of a person.
Cleansing the gallbladder has the following effects on the body:
- restores the functions of the liver and gall bladder;
- normalizes bile formation;
- improves bile excretion;
- eliminates its stagnation;
- cleanses the ducts and intestines of waste and toxins;
- improves metabolic processes;
- normalizes digestion and accelerates the absorption of nutrients;
- improves the condition of skin, hair and nails, as well as overall well-being.
Read also: Hypomotor dyskinesia of the gallbladder
After the cleansing procedure, the digestion process is normalized, and the general condition improves significantly.
