Article: Many gallstones will pass without ever causing pain or complications. However, if you feel sharp or lingering pain in your upper abdomen or you develop jaundice (yellowing of the skin), get a medical exam. The doctor will perform a physical and get your medical history. They may need to run blood tests or ultrasounds to confirm a diagnosis. If your gallstones aren't causing you very much pain and the flare-ups don't happen very often, your doctor may recommend taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Switching to a low-fat diet can also prevent painful flare-ups. Waiting for the gallstones to pass on their own is often effective for most people, but let your doctor know if you're experiencing more pain or more frequent flare-ups. Your doctor may prescribe ursodiol, an oral bile acid that can dissolve cholesterol-based gallstones. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions and take the pills for several months so the gallstones dissolve. Note that ursodiol and other bile acids only work against cholesterol-based stones and will not dissolve stones made from bile pigments. If you have 1 cholesterol-based gallstone, your doctor can try this experimental treatment. A surgeon will insert a catheter through the abdomen and inject a special drug directly into the gallbladder. Once this drug gets into your gallbladder, it will immediately begin to dissolve the gallstone inside. The gallstone should disappear within several hours of the treatment. This can be effective if you're not a candidate for surgery. If you have fewer than 3 stones, your doctor may recommend shock wave therapy. A special device will direct high-frequency sound waves to the gallstones and those sound waves can break the stones into fragments.  Since shock wave therapy only breaks apart the gallstone and doesn't dissolve it, you may need to take ursodiol or a similar bile salt afterward to get rid of the fragmented pieces. Because shock wave therapy can cause damage to the liver or pancreas and gallstones may develop again, some doctors may not recommend it. If you've struggled with gallstones on more than one occasion or the pain is intense, your doctor will likely recommend a cholecystectomy, or the surgical removal of your gallbladder.  Since bile will flow directly from the liver to the small intestines, removing the gallbladder is a common way to treat gallstones. Diarrhea is a side effect. Depending on which type of cholecystectomy the surgeon performs, you may need to spend 1 to 3 days in the hospital before recovering at home for a few weeks.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get a medical exam if you have abdominal pain or jaundice. Treat mild gallbladder symptoms with painkillers and a change in diet. Take bile acid pills to dissolve the gallstones. Get contact dissolution treatment to dissolve gallstones. Ask about shock wave therapy. Surgically remove the gallbladder if you have recurring gallstones.