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Though it is often described as colic pain, biliary colic is generally characterized by a steady ache in the upper right abdomen, beneath the rib cage. Sometimes these signs of colic and the resulting pain may migrate toward the right shoulder blade or come with nausea and vomiting. The pain colic can induce comes from a blockage in the gallbladder, which is caused by gallstones in approximately 80% of all patients with this malady.
Not everyone wants to go right into taking medication to alleviate the symptoms of colic. As with everything, there are some homeopathic, natural colic remedies to try for non-emergency situations. In some clinical studies, acupuncture has been known to help patients with biliary colic. Needles may be frightening to some, but it's more natural than other shots and this traditional Chinese medicine provides a longer-lasting analgesic effect in a shorter amount of time. A herbal cure for the colic pain, but not the underlying problem, is Belladonna, which is also known as deadly nightshade, and it relaxes the muscles, blocks nerve impulses and reduces gastric secretions. A food-based recommendation for flushing out the gallbladder is to take two teaspoons of Black Seed Oil for a few months to improve the efficiency of the liver and regulate bowel functions. Other people try two regular spoonfuls of hemp or olive oil, Lecithin granules, a half teaspoon of Turmeric powder, a lemon or lime each day or Chamomile tea. A naturally-induced gallbladder flush can be done by eating only organic green apples the day of the flush. Then at bed time, heating two-thirds of a cup of olive oil to body temperature and adding one-third cup of raw lemon juice. The sufferer should then sleep on his or her right side with the right leg tucked up. In the morning, the gallstone should be passed in the stool. However, if the stones are particularly large, more clinical help may be needed.
Narcotic analgesia, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and nitrates can treat colic pain. Meperidine, an analgesic similar to Morphine, administered every three hours is the most common medication. Sometimes the Dopamine-antagonist Reglan or a 5-HT-3-receptor antagonist like Zofran is prescribed to help with the pain. Since biliary colic pain is almost always associated with gallstones, the stones must be removed by surgery or dissolved by shock treatment or medication like Ursodiol. Generally, medication is only used in patients who don't qualify for surgery. The surgery itself is a quick procedure done with a laparoscope and patients can leave the hospital the same day.
Some other ailments have similar symptoms to biliary colic, such as abdominal or liver abscess, inflammation of the pancreas, irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis, cholangitis, gastric ulcers, perdicarditis, or other digestive troubles. In rare cases, biliary colic can point to cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder or a tumor that may be blocking the bile ducts, so sufferers should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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