Gallstones Center - Hickory, NC
Hickory Gastroenterologist Doctors for GallstonesType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Hickory * Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  The Caldwell Medical Center  Mushtaq A Bukhari MD  Mushtaq A Bukhari MD  Northwest Digestive Health  Piedmount Healthcare  Cleveland Gastroenterology  Cleveland Gastroenterology  Cleveland Gastroenterology  Gaston Medical Group  William Caddick MD  Sam Drake MD  Gaston Medical Associates  Gaston Gastroenterology  Gaston Gastroenterology  Piedmont Healthcare PA  Piedmont Healthcare PA  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Appalachian Gastroenterology  Rutherford Internal Medicine Associates PA  Tri-County Gastroenterology  Rutherford Internal Medicine Associates PA  Jerry A Jones MD  Charlotte Medical Clinic  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Charlotte Medical Clinic  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Charlotte Medical Clinic  Charlotte Medical Clinic  B Parthenia Richardson MD  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Mecklenburg Medical Group Museum  Mecklenburg Medical Group Museum  Mecklenburg Medical Group Museum  Mecklenburg Medical Group Museum  Mecklenburg Medical Group Museum  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Glenn Pfitzner MD  Mark Lee Appler MD  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Piedmont Digestive Disease Associates PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology Hickory, North CarolinaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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GallstonesWhat are gallstones?Gallstones (often misspelled gall stones, or gall stone) are stones that form in the gall (bile). (The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ just below the liver and stores the bile secreted by the liver.)
From the common bile duct, there are two different directions that bile can flow.
Once in the gallbladder, bile is concentrated by the removal (absorption) of water. During a meal, the muscle that makes up the wall of the gallbladder contracts and squeezes the concentrated bile in the gallbladder back through the cystic duct into the common duct and then into the intestine. (Concentrated bile is much more effective for digestion than the un-concentrated bile that goes from the liver straight into the intestine.) The timing of gallbladder contraction-during a meal-allows the concentrated bile from the gallbladder to mix with food. Gallstones usually form in the gallbladder; however, they also may form anywhere there is bile; in the intrahepatic, hepatic, common bile, and cystic ducts. Gallst... Recommended Reading Related to GallstonesObesity facts
Other Related Gallstones ArticlesEmergency Contact for Hickory
Nearby Hickory Hospitals *Frye Regional Medical Center Catawba Valley Medical Center Valdese General Hospital Frye Regional Medical Center Alexander Campus Caldwell Memorial Hospital Grace Hospital Broughton Hospital Carolinas Medical Center Lincoln Iredell Memorial Hospital Davis Regional Medical Center Lake Norman Regional Medical Center Wilkes Regional Medical Center Cleveland Regional Medical Center Kings Mountain Hospital Gaston Memorial Hospital Blowing Rock Hospital Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Gallstones by Our Doctors
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Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
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Liver Disease
- Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause; however, common symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.
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Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are common symptoms.
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Cirrhosis (Liver)
- Cirrhosis of the liver refers to a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue caused by alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C. This disease leads to abnormalities in the liver's ability to handle toxins and blood flow, causing internal bleeding, kidney failure, mental confusion, coma, body fluid accumulation, and frequent infections. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin, itching, and fatigue.
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Alcoholism
- Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
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Pancreatitis
- Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
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Stool Color & Texture Changes (Black, Red, Maroon, Green, Yellow, Gray, Tarry, Sticky)
- Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
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Nausea and Vomiting
- Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
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Jaundice
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Indigestion (Dyspepsia, Upset Stomach)
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Cystic Fibrosis
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Obesity
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Liver
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Pleurisy (Pleuritis)
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Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia)
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Pancreatic Cysts
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Beta Thalassemia
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Gallbladder Cancer
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Antiemetics
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Alpha Thalassemia
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Asbestos
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The Digestive System
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Duodenal Diverticulum
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Pregnancy Planning
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Childhood Obesity
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Choledochal Cysts
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