Herbal remedies for gallstones and gallbladder problems

Herbs can help promote gallbladder heath.

Chamomile, rosemary, turmeric, dandelion, yellowroot, chicory, calendula, wild yam root, garlic, catnip, marshmallow, nettle, barberry bark, fennel seed, ginger, yellow dock, green tea, onions, horseradish, and milk thistle are all known to support the gallbladder.

These herbs act like a tonic to keep the gallbladder healthy.

Some herbs increase bile production, so should not be taken in therapeutic amounts if you have been diagnosed with gallstones. Do as much research as possible before starting any type of treatment plan!

Can chamomile tea dissolve gallstones?

Regular doses of chamomile tea can dissolve some types of gallstones.

Chamomile contains a substance known as bisabolol which reduces the amount of pepsin enzymes secreted by the stomach. This make chamomile a good choice for treating gastric and upper intestinal diseases like ulcers and gallstones.

A cup of strong chamomile tea should be taken three or four times a day for six to eight weeks. Hopefully this will work to get rid of your gallbladder stones and the pain that they cause.

Once your gallbladder is restored to good health, keep drinking chamomile and other herbal teas on a regular basis. With a variety of delicious flavors, that shouldn't be hard to do.

If you have been reading my Every Green Herb blog for a while, then you know we grow and sell a variety of herbs, but we also buy a lot, too. Try our favorite herbal suppliers for quality and value.

 

Are there other herbs that can dissolve gallstones?

If chamomile doesn't seem to help, there are other herbs that are known to help dissolve gallstones. Peppermint tea, alfalfa tea, fenugreek seed, green tea, dandelion tea, or Joe-Pye weed tea might work better for some people.

A recent report shows that eating lots of onions with fenugreek seeds can reduce the size of gallstones, and keep new ones from forming. More research on this topic is underway.

Scientific studies

Studies in China show that tea and green tea can help protect from gallstones and tumors of the gallbladder. Green tea is especially beneficial due to its high concentration of polyphenols.

What can help gallbladder pain during an attack?

Herbal teas and essential oils can help soothe a gallbladder attack. Don't wait until you are suffering with nausea and pain! For best results, brew up some tea and begin treatment as soon as you notice a twinge of discomfort.

While sipping herbal tea, soak a clean cloth with a few drops of Scotch pine essential oil in warm water. Apply as a compress over the painful area. Repeat as necessary. If you don't have Scotch pine, substitute lavender or another soothing essential oil.

Castor oil packs may also bring relief. Soak a cloth in castor oil and place over the painful area. Put a warm, wet towel on top of that. For extra heat, add a hot water bottle or plastic covered heating-pad set to low.

Be careful not to burn the skin! Pain should subside within an hour. Remove the pack, and then reapply several times a day as needed.

An old remedy for gallbladder problems

An old-fashioned remedy for removing gallstones calls for taking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a teaspoon of honey, mixed into a glass of water or apple juice each morning. A teaspoon of olive oil should be taken upon rising and with meals.

This treatment, known as a gallbladder cleanse, should not be done if pregnant or suffering from ulcers.

Use all gallbladder cleanses and flushes with caution.

In many cultures, gallstones are treated at home with a gallbladder flush. It involves taking a pint of olive oil mixed with the juice of a dozen lemons. The patient is given some of the mixture every 15 minutes for three hours. They are then instructed to sleep on their right side.

The flush is repeated until gallstones are passed. This intensive gallstone remedy can cause serious problems if your gallstones are not small enough to pass through your bile ducts.

Some people could experience life threatening symptoms from consuming a pint of olive oil and that much citrus in such a short time period. Always consult with your healthcare professional before undergoing any extreme herbal treatment!

Severe pain requires emergency care.

If you have a lot of pain, herbs might not be the best answer! Back centuries ago, healers had no better choices than herbs and natural remedies for treating their patients. Today, doctors can zap gallstones, and remove the whole gallbladder if it needs to come out. Usually you can return home the same day.

Do not suffer with gallbladder pain. When pain makes sleep impossible and nothing seems to help, seek emergency care. Always see a healthcare professional whenever you experience severe pain.

There are several types of gallbladder stones.

Since people have different types of gallstones, what works for one might not work for another. Some gallbladder stones are made up of cholesterol and others are formed from the breakdown of red blood cells.

The cholesterol types are light beige and the other types are brown or black. Some gallstones are a mixture of both types!

All types of gallstones can cause a variety of symptoms including gas, bloating, abdominal pain, back pain, nausea, gray stools, vomiting, and diarrhea.

When gallstones get really big, like in the picture above, herbal remedies are not the best option. In severe cases, surgery should be performed as soon as possible.

When do I need to see a doctor about my gallbladder?

When your gallbladder is acting up, get help as soon as possible if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Pain that lasts over 5 hours
• Severe stabbing pain
• Fever, chills, and sweating
• Yellow eyes or skin
• Excessive nausea or vomiting
• Brown urine or pale-colored stools

Gallbladder attacks can be moderate or severe.

Gallbladder pain radiates from the front mid-center, under the rib cage to the back right shoulder blades. An attack usually lasts from one to five hours. It can be constant or come in waves.

When my gallbladder was giving me trouble back in the 1980's, the pain was horrible. I remember pacing back and forth, all humped over, and unable to find relief. I was very glad to have it removed!

My attacks always came late at night after eating a fatty meal of fried or greasy food. Back then, I didn't know anything about herbal medicine. Thank God, I have learned a few things since then.

What other diseases cause gallbladder pain?

The gallbladder can become inflamed, infected, and even septic. In these cases, there are no gallstones to show up on x-rays.

Instead of stones, the gallbladder decays and turns into a mass of green tissue. You will probably need additional tests, such as an ultrasound, to discover this type of gallbladder problem.

My gallbladder was removed. Can it still cause me pain?

Yes, it can. One of my most painful gallbladder attacks hit me twenty years after my gallbladder was removed. It began after dinner while I was bending over to pull weeds from the garden, and felt like someone was stabbing me in the heart with a knife.

I thought I was dying with a heart attack. Tony rushed me to the emergency room, where the doctor diagnosed me with an inflamed gallbladder stem. A shot of strong pain medicine gave me immediate relief, but cost almost a thousand dollars!

After that episode, I made sure to relax for thirty minutes after eating.

What are the risk factors for gallbladder disease?

Some risk factors include:

• Being female
• Being over forty years old
• Being obese
• People who lose weight too quickly
• People with Crohn's Disease
• Being of Mexican American or American Indian decent
• People with family history of gallbladder disease
• People with diabetes
• People with cirrhosis of the liver
• People with a history of bile duct infections
• People with sickle-cell anemia

How can I keep my gallbladder healthy?

Gallbladder disease may be prevented by eating less saturated fat, switching from cheap vegetable oils to cold-pressed oils, drinking plenty of water, adding fiber and vitamin C rich foods to your diet, eating smaller meals, choosing lean meats over fatty ones, avoiding fast foods, and cutting back on sugar.

Be sure to add artichokes, pears, apples, carrots, beets, cucumbers, cherries, berries, grapefruits, greens, red peppers, onions, garlic, lemons, whole grains, nuts, and seeds to your diet.

All fresh vegetables, fruits, and green drinks with live enzymes are good for gallbladder health.

Is diet important once my gallbladder has been surgically removed?

Diet is always important! The same foods listed above are also recommended for everyone, with or without a gallbladder.

Just because your gallbladder is gone, does not mean you should go back to eating fried and processed foods.

Use massage and reflexology to help treat the gallbladder.

There are alternative methods of treating gallbladder problems.

Reflexology can bring amazing results. For gallbladder health, massage the instep of the right foot with small circular motions as often as possible. It works even better if you have someone do it for you.

If you have never tried reflexology, it might be time for you to start.

Learn more about alternative medicines.

Eat raw pineapple before gallbladder surgery.

If your gallstones are large, or won't dissolve with herbal remedies, then you might have to have it removed. Surgery is often the only solution for a severely diseased gallbladder, whether gallstones are present or not.

Here is a tip for any time that you have a scheduled surgery such as a gallbladder operation. Three days before your surgery, eat a fresh pineapple.

The live enzymes in this fruit will help the incision to heal faster. Eating fresh pineapple also help tissues heal more quickly after tooth extractions and other traumas.

*Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines.

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320442#4

https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/content/gall-stone

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193144/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek

https://www.healthline.com/health/gallbladder-pain-relief

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2885773/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210003/